{{Short description|South African politician (born 1958)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Sindisiwe Chikunga | honorific_suffix = MP | image = Sindiswe Chikunga.jpg | image_size = | caption = Chikunga in 2013 | office = Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities | president = Cyril Ramaphosa | deputy = | term_start = 3 July 2024<ref name="DMInitialSwearingin">{{cite news |title=Historic day for SA as government of national unity ministers take oath of office |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-07-03-historic-day-for-sa-as-government-of-national-unity-ministers-take-oath-of-office |publisher=Daily Maverick |date=3 July 2024 |access-date=3 July 2024}}</ref> | term_end = | predecessor = Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma | successor = | office1 = Minister of Social Development | status1 = Acting | president1 = Cyril Ramaphosa | deputy1 = Ganief Hendricks | term_start1 = 14 May 2026 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Sisisi Tolashe | successor1 = | office2 = Minister of Transport | president2 = Cyril Ramaphosa | deputy2 = Lisa Mangcu | term_start2 = 7 March 2023 | term_end2 = 30 June 2024 | predecessor2 = Fikile Mbalula | successor2 = Barbara Creecy | office3 = Deputy Minister of Transport | president3 = Cyril Ramaphosa | term_start3 = 5 August 2021 | term_end3 = 6 March 2023 | predecessor3 = Dikeledi Magadzi | successor3 = Lisa Mangcu | term_start4 = 12 June 2012 | term_end4 = 29 May 2019 | president4 = Jacob Zuma<br/>Cyril Ramaphosa | predecessor4 = Jeremy Cronin | successor4 = Dikeledi Magadzi | office5 = Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration | president5 = Cyril Ramaphosa | term_start5 = 30 May 2019 | term_end5 = 5 August 2021 | predecessor5 = Chana Pilane-Majake | successor5 = Chana Pilane-Majake | birth_name = Sindisiwe Lydia Gcaba | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|11|9|df=y}} | birth_place = Muden, Natal Province, Union of South Africa | death_date = | death_place = | party = African National Congress | other_party = | spouse = | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = 2 (1 deceased) | education = | alma_mater = University of South Africa<br/>University of Pretoria | occupation = | profession = | known_for = | committees = | awards = | website = }} '''Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga''' ({{nee|'''Gcaba'''}}; born 9 November 1958) is a South African politician who is serving as the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities since 2024, and acting Minister of Social Development following the dismissal of Sisisi Tolashe.<ref name="t124">{{cite web |last1=Moichela |first1=Kamogelo |last2=Majadibodu |first2=Simon |title=Ramaphosa bows to pressure, fires Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe |website=IOL |date=14 May 2026 |url=https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-05-14-breaking-ramaphosa-fires-social-development-minister-sisisi-tolashe/ |access-date=14 May 2026}}</ref> A member of the African National Congress, she has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 2004. Chikunga had previously served as Deputy Minister of Transport twice, from 2012 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2023, as Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration from 2019 until 2021, and as Minister of Transport from 2023 to 2024. She is a midwife by profession. ==Early life and education== Chikunga was born in Muden in present-day KwaZulu-Natal. Her father was Lutheran church pastor Rev Lucas Gcaba. During her childhood, her family frequently moved between towns, from Muden to Greytown and on to Kopleegte where she attended primary school.<ref name="Record">{{Cite web |title=On the record...Sindiswa Chikunga, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police |url=https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC122478 |access-date=8 March 2023}}</ref>
She holds a Bachelor of Arts and an Honours degree in Curationis from the University of South Africa as well as a Master of Arts in Curationis from the University of Pretoria. From the Edendale Nursing College, she obtained both a Diploma in Midwifery and a Diploma in Nursing Science. At the time of her appointment as Minister of Transport in March 2023, she was studying for a master's degree in political sciences from the University of South Africa.<ref name="DM">{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Suné |date=2023-03-06 |title=THE SHUFFLE: Who is Sindisiwe Chikunga, the new transport minister replacing Fikile Mbalula? |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-06-sindisiwe-chikunga-replaces-mbalula-as-transport-minister-in-cabinet-reshuffle/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> Chikunga worked as a nurse in Mpumalanga.<ref name="DM"/>
==Political career== Chikunga became a member of the DCO Makiwane Youth League in the 1980s. She has also held leadership positions in the African National Congress in Mpumalanga; she was an ''ex officio'' member of the ANC's Gert Sibande Regional Executive Committee (REC) and also served as chairperson and as deputy chairperson of the region.<ref name="gov">{{Cite web |title=Sindisiwe Chikunga, Ms {{!}} South African Government |url=https://www.gov.za/about-government/contact-directory/transport-deputy-ministry/sindisiwe-lydia-chikunga-ms |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=www.gov.za}}</ref> Chikunga was also an ''ex officio'' member of the Regional Executive Committee of the African National Congress Women's League. She is a former member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in Mpumalanga.<ref name="gov"/>
Chikunga became a Member of Parliament for the ANC in 2004. During her tenure as an ANC MP, she served on the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, the Joint Budget Portfolio Committee, the Portfolio Committee on Housing, the Committee on Auditor General as well as the Joint Standing Committee on Defence.<ref name="gov"/> From 2009 to 2012, Chikunga was chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police during which she frequently clashed with National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele.<ref name="MG">{{Cite web |date=2011-12-15 |title=Sindisiwe Chikunga: The fiery midwife who took on Cele |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-15-sindisiwe-chikunga-the-fiery-midwife-who-took-on-cele/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref>
==National government== On 12 June 2012, Chikunga was appointed as Deputy Minister of Transport by president Jacob Zuma during his cabinet reshuffle.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Munusamy |first=Ranjeni |date=2012-06-12 |title=Zuma cabinet, 3.0: Release, reshuffle… reprieve, for now |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-06-13-zuma-cabinet-30-release-reshuffle-reprieve-for-now/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> She remained as Deputy Minister of Transport after Zuma announced a major overhaul of his cabinet after being sworn in for a second term as president in May 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full list – Jacob Zuma's Cabinet: Who's in |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/full-list-jacob-zumas-cabinet-whos-in-20150429 |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> After Zuma resigned as president and was succeeded by Cyril Ramaphosa in February 2018, Chikunga remained as Deputy Minister of Transport.<ref>{{Cite web |title=President Cyril Ramaphosa announces changes to the National Executive {{!}} South African Government |url=https://www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-announces-changes-national-executive-26-feb-2018-0000 |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=www.gov.za}}</ref> thumb|Chikunga at the African Development Conference held in June 2013 in Japan
In March 2018, it was reported that Chikunga was allegedly refusing to return two of her old official cars, a BMW X6 and a BMW GT, even after the Transport Department bought her two new official cars, a BMW X5 and a Jaguar F-Type. Chikunga was also accused of allowing a family member to fill up her petrol tank with the Avis petrol card of the state-hired car she was given.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Masondo |first=Sipho |title=Minister of bling's luxury vehicles |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/minister-of-blings-luxury-vehicles-20180312 |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=City Press |language=en-US}}</ref>
Following the 2019 general election, Chikunga was appointed as Deputy Minister of the Public Service and Administration portfolio by Ramaphosa, while Dikeledi Magadzi took over as Deputy Minister of Transport.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 May 2019 |title=Full list – here is Ramaphosa's new cabinet |work=BusinessTECH |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/319988/full-list-here-is-ramaphosas-new-cabinet/ |access-date=8 March 2023}}</ref> Chikunga was reappointed as Deputy Minister of Transport in a cabinet reshuffle in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Javier |first=Abigail |title=The ins and outs of Ramaphosa's Cabinet reshuffle |url=https://ewn.co.za/2021/08/05/the-ins-and-outs-of-ramaphosa-s-cabinet-reshuffle |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en}}</ref> Following the 2024 general election, she was appointed Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-30 |title=Ramaphosa names South Africa's power-sharing cabinet |url=https://apanews.net/179364-2/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=APAnews - African Press Agency |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="DMInitialSwearingin" />
===Minister of Transport (2023–2024)=== After the previous Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, was elected as Secretary-General of the African National Congress, a position which requires him to be at Luthuli House full-time, at the party's 55th National Conference held in December 2022, it became known that Mbalula would soon depart from government to take up the party position.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 December 2022 |title=Ramaphosa called to choose a better transport minister after Mbalula's likely exit |work=IOL |url=https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/ramaphosa-called-to-choose-a-better-transport-minister-after-mbalulas-likely-exit-444dc604-7e32-4316-90dd-77b88f97cd09 |access-date=8 March 2023}}</ref> Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet on 6 March 2023 during which he named Chikunga as Mbalula's successor as Transport Minister. Lisa Mangcu was appointed the new Deputy Minister of Transport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zyl |first=Corné van |date=2023-03-06 |title=Cabinet reshuffle: Here's EVERY change made by Ramaphosa |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/cabinet-reshuffle-heres-every-change-made-by-ramaphosa-breaking-news-6-march-2023/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA}}</ref> Chikunga and all the other newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers were sworn into office the following day by Chief Justice Ray Zondo in a ceremony at Tuynhuys.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Suné |date=2023-03-07 |title=THE SHUFFLE: It's official, SA's seven new ministers and nine deputy ministers sworn into office |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-07-its-official-sas-seven-new-ministers-and-nine-deputy-ministers-sworn-into-office/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref>
On 24 March 2023, Chikunga denied claims by the Economic Freedom Fighters, an opposition party, that she sabotaged their National Shutdown protest on 20 March by instructing bus companies to cancel their services and not transport EFF supporters wanting to attend the protest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ditabo |first=Malaika |title=Transport minister rejects EFF claims of shutdown sabotage to 'serve personal, partisan agenda' |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/political-parties/transport-minister-rejects-eff-claims-of-shutdown-sabotage-to-serve-personal-partisan-agenda-20230324 |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Robbery=== On 6 November 2023, Chikunga was robbed at gunpoint by three masked individuals after her vehicle stopped along the N3 highway outside Johannesburg to change a tyre that hit a deliberately planted spike. In a parliamentary inquiry, she said that the robbers forced her bodyguards onto the floor and opened the car door before pointing a gun at her head and forcing her out. The robbers took her laptop and phone, as well as other personal effects and two of her bodyguards' pistols.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa: minister robbed, bodyguards stripped of their weapons |url=https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/08/south-africa-minister-robbed-bodyguards-stripped-of-their-weapons/ |date=8 November 2023 |website=Africanews |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa crime: Thieves put gun to Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga's head |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67342882 |date=8 November 2023 |website=BBC |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa's Transport Minister and bodyguards robbed at gunpoint |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/08/africa/south-africa-minister-robbed-at-gunpoint-intl/index.html |date=8 November 2023 |website=CNN |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== Chikunga's late husband's father was born in Malawi.<ref name="MG"/> She had two sons with her husband.<ref name="Record"/>
One of Chikunga's sons, his wife and their four children died in a car accident on the N11 highway between Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal on 17 July 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duma |first=Nkosikhona |title=Deputy transport minister loses 6 family members in car accident |url=https://ewn.co.za/2022/07/19/deputy-minister-of-transport-mourns-death-of-family-members-after-car-accident |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons}} *{{People's Assembly (South Africa)|lydia-sindisiwe-chikunga|Ms Sindi Chikunga}}
{{Current MPs of South Africa}} {{Ramaphosa second cabinet}} {{Ramaphosa third cabinet}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chikunga, Sindisiwe}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029 Category:Women government ministers of South Africa Category:Zulu people Category:Ministers of transport of South Africa Category:Women's ministers of South Africa Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2019–2024 Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2009–2014 Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2014–2019 Category:Zulu women Category:21st-century South African women politicians