Yusuf Bhamjee | |
---|---|
Executive Mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality | |
In office 23 April 2008 – August 2016 | |
Preceded by | Bongi Sithole-Moloi |
Succeeded by | Thobekile Maphumulo |
Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature | |
In office May 1994 – April 2004 | |
In office August 2007 – March 2008 | |
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 23 April 2004 – 10 August 2007 | |
Constituency | KwaZulu-Natal |
Personal details | |
Born | Yusuf Suleman Bhamjee 10 January 1950 Wolmaransstad, Transvaal Union of South Africa |
Political party | African National Congress |
Spouse |
Sabera Bhamjee
(
m. 1977; died 2006) |
Relations | Hanef Bhamjee (brother) |
Children | 2 |
Yusuf Suleman Bhamjee (born 10 January 1950) is a South African politician, academic, and former anti-apartheid activist. He was the Mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal from 2008 to 2016. Before that, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and National Assembly between 1994 and 2008.
Bhamjee was born on 10 January 1950 in Wolmaransstad in the former Transvaal. [1] His elder brother was activist Hanef Bhamjee. [2] [3] While attending high school in Natal Province, Bhamjee was an accomplished sportsman, matching the South African 100-metre sprint record at the national athletics championships. He later played cricket for as a bowler and batsman for Natal, and he was a member and later coach of Young Natalians FC. [1]
After attending university in Dublin, Ireland, Bhamjee became a politics lecturer at the University of Natal. During the same period, he was active in the anti-apartheid movement through the Natal Indian Congress and United Democratic Front; he was particularly active in campaigning for sports boycotts of South Africa. [1] In 2019, Andrew Mlangeni awarded him the Andrew Mlangeni Green Jacket for his contribution to non-racial sport. [4]
In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Bhamjee was elected to represent the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature. Later the same year, he was the only Indian to win election to the Provincial Executive Committee of the KwaZulu-Natal ANC. [5] He was elected to a second term in the legislature in the 1999 general election. [6]
In the 2004 general election, Bhamjee was elected to an ANC seat in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Assembly. [7] However, midway through the term, on 10 August 2007, he resigned from his seat and returned to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature; [8] his seat in the National Assembly was filled by Ntombikayise Sibhidla. [7]
On 23 April 2008, Bhamjee was elected as mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality, with Tu Zondi as his deputy. His election followed the ousting of Bongi Sithole, whom the ANC removed in a vote of no confidence due to allegations of mismanagement and maladministration. [9] [10] Bhamjee was retained in the mayoral office after the 2011 local elections. [11] In addition, he was co-opted onto the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in 2012. [12]
As the end of his second mayoral term approached, the ANC announced that Bhamjee would not stand for another term as mayor. [13] After the 2016 local elections, he was succeeded as mayor by the ANC's Thobekile Maphumulo but was re-elected to the council and was elected as its speaker. [14]
Bhamjee married Sabera Bhamjee in 1977 after seven years of courtship. They had two daughters, Suhayfa and Sameera. [15] Sabera was the only woman gynaecologist in Pietermaritzburg at the time of her death. [16]
Sabera died on 2 June 2006 in her consulting room at St Anne's Hospital after being stabbed more than 60 times in her neck, head, and chest. [17] There were no witnesses and no forensic evidence and the motive for the killing was unclear. [16] [18] As of 2017, the police had not found any leads in the murder investigation. [15]
Yusuf Bhamjee | |
---|---|
Executive Mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality | |
In office 23 April 2008 – August 2016 | |
Preceded by | Bongi Sithole-Moloi |
Succeeded by | Thobekile Maphumulo |
Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature | |
In office May 1994 – April 2004 | |
In office August 2007 – March 2008 | |
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 23 April 2004 – 10 August 2007 | |
Constituency | KwaZulu-Natal |
Personal details | |
Born | Yusuf Suleman Bhamjee 10 January 1950 Wolmaransstad, Transvaal Union of South Africa |
Political party | African National Congress |
Spouse |
Sabera Bhamjee
(
m. 1977; died 2006) |
Relations | Hanef Bhamjee (brother) |
Children | 2 |
Yusuf Suleman Bhamjee (born 10 January 1950) is a South African politician, academic, and former anti-apartheid activist. He was the Mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal from 2008 to 2016. Before that, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and National Assembly between 1994 and 2008.
Bhamjee was born on 10 January 1950 in Wolmaransstad in the former Transvaal. [1] His elder brother was activist Hanef Bhamjee. [2] [3] While attending high school in Natal Province, Bhamjee was an accomplished sportsman, matching the South African 100-metre sprint record at the national athletics championships. He later played cricket for as a bowler and batsman for Natal, and he was a member and later coach of Young Natalians FC. [1]
After attending university in Dublin, Ireland, Bhamjee became a politics lecturer at the University of Natal. During the same period, he was active in the anti-apartheid movement through the Natal Indian Congress and United Democratic Front; he was particularly active in campaigning for sports boycotts of South Africa. [1] In 2019, Andrew Mlangeni awarded him the Andrew Mlangeni Green Jacket for his contribution to non-racial sport. [4]
In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Bhamjee was elected to represent the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature. Later the same year, he was the only Indian to win election to the Provincial Executive Committee of the KwaZulu-Natal ANC. [5] He was elected to a second term in the legislature in the 1999 general election. [6]
In the 2004 general election, Bhamjee was elected to an ANC seat in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Assembly. [7] However, midway through the term, on 10 August 2007, he resigned from his seat and returned to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature; [8] his seat in the National Assembly was filled by Ntombikayise Sibhidla. [7]
On 23 April 2008, Bhamjee was elected as mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality, with Tu Zondi as his deputy. His election followed the ousting of Bongi Sithole, whom the ANC removed in a vote of no confidence due to allegations of mismanagement and maladministration. [9] [10] Bhamjee was retained in the mayoral office after the 2011 local elections. [11] In addition, he was co-opted onto the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in 2012. [12]
As the end of his second mayoral term approached, the ANC announced that Bhamjee would not stand for another term as mayor. [13] After the 2016 local elections, he was succeeded as mayor by the ANC's Thobekile Maphumulo but was re-elected to the council and was elected as its speaker. [14]
Bhamjee married Sabera Bhamjee in 1977 after seven years of courtship. They had two daughters, Suhayfa and Sameera. [15] Sabera was the only woman gynaecologist in Pietermaritzburg at the time of her death. [16]
Sabera died on 2 June 2006 in her consulting room at St Anne's Hospital after being stabbed more than 60 times in her neck, head, and chest. [17] There were no witnesses and no forensic evidence and the motive for the killing was unclear. [16] [18] As of 2017, the police had not found any leads in the murder investigation. [15]