Mr. Thomas Mxolisi Kaunda, the new KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, has a rich socio-political activism background. Having grown through the ranks of the Mass Democratic Movement, Kaunda, 41, has distinguished himself as a committed cadre of the African National Congress. He has served in various leadership roles in both the ANC Youth League and Provincial structures.
Born on the 13th of September 1974 in Inanda, north of Durban, he gained political consciousness early and became active from the tender age of 15. He was involved in reviving structures of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), paving his way to his immersion in the youth movement as part of South Africa’s political and socio-economic transformation journey. This included helping to revive ANC Youth League structures after the unbanning of Liberation Movements in February 1990. He also served in the first Inanda’s Community Policing Forum in the early 90’s, which was instrumental in developing strategies for mobilising communities in the fight against crime.
He matriculated at Intshisekelo High School in Inanda and went further to obtain a Diploma in Governance and Leadership from the University of South Africa, and an Advanced Diploma in Advanced Governance and Public Leadership from the University of the Witwatersrand. Kaunda is married to Nomzamo (MaXaba), and they are blessed with four children (three sons and a daughter).
He has served as ANCYL Provincial Secretary (2004 to 2008), and as ANCYL Provincial Chairperson (2008 to 2010). He was then elected to the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (ANC PEC) in 2012, and assigned the responsibility of serving in the Economic Transformation as well as Peace and Stability sub-committees. In 2015, he was re-elected to the ANC PEC and serves as Chairperson of the Economic Transformation and Mobilisation sub-committees. He is also a member of the ANC Provincial Working Committee.
Over the years, Kaunda has also served in various governance roles, starting out as an elected Ward Councillor (2000 to 2006) and as a Proportional Representative (PR) Councillor (2006 to 2009) in the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Within the municipality, he served in the Economic Development and Markets sub-committee. He was later redeployed to serve as a Member of the Provincial Legislature from 2009 to 2014, and became Chairperson of the Transport Portfolio Committee. During this time, he served on Finance, Community Safety and Liaison, as well as Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs committees as an alternate member.
He returned to the Provincial Legislature post the 2014 national general elections to continue as Chairperson of the Transport Committee, and also to serve on the Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, as well as Community Safety and Liaison committees. During his tenure in the legislature, Kaunda has steadfastly led oversight work on transport matters, and engaged with communities across the length and breadth of the province. He has also been a prolific participant in house debates in the Provincial Legislature and at the National Council of Provinces, which has suitably prepared him for his new role as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison.