50 Facts About Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: From Medicine to Power Politics

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Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma is one of South Africa’s most seasoned and enigmatic political figures. Known as NDZ, she has served in every post-apartheid administration and carved a legacy that spans health, diplomacy, and African leadership. Here are 50 remarkable facts about her journey — from her days as a medical student to becoming the face of South Africa’s COVID-19 response.

Early Life & Education

  1. Born on 27 January 1949, Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma hails from Natal province, now KwaZulu-Natal.
  2. She is the eldest of eight children in her family.
  3. Her father, Willibrod Gweva Dlamini, was a schoolteacher, and her uncle Stephen Dlamini was a noted ANC activist.
  4. Dlamini-Zuma matriculated from the historic Adams College in Amanzimtoti.
  5. Though she initially wanted to study law, she pursued medicine due to her father’s wishes.
  6. She earned a BSc in Zoology and Botany from the University of Zululand in 1971.
  7. She joined the Black Consciousness-aligned South African Students’ Organisation (SASO) and became deputy president in 1976.
  8. To avoid apartheid police persecution, she fled into exile in 1976.
  9. She completed her medical degree at the University of Bristol in the UK in 1978.
  10. She holds a diploma in tropical child health from Liverpool University’s School of Tropical Medicine.

Activism in Exile

  1. Dlamini-Zuma was active in the ANC Youth Section in Britain, serving as chairperson in 1977–1978.
  2. She worked in UK hospitals including Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.
  3. In Swaziland, she worked as a paediatrician and met future husband Jacob Zuma.
  4. She co-founded and directed the Health Refugee Trust in Britain.
  5. In 1989, she worked for the ANC Health Department in Lusaka, Zambia.

Return to South Africa

  1. She returned in 1990 after the ANC was unbanned.
  2. She played a role in CODESA, the negotiations to end apartheid.
  3. During transition years, she served as a research scientist at South Africa’s Medical Research Council.

Trailblazing Government Career

  1. Dlamini-Zuma was Minister of Health (1994–1999) under Nelson Mandela.
  2. She championed anti-smoking laws, including banning smoking in public places.
  3. Her reputation was stained by the Sarafina II scandal, involving misuse of state funds.
  4. She controversially supported Virodene, an unproven AIDS treatment.
  5. Under Thabo Mbeki, she became Minister of Foreign Affairs (1999–2009), the longest-serving in that role.
  6. She was central to Africa-focused diplomacy, including Congo peace talks.
  7. Her tenure drew criticism for “quiet diplomacy” on Zimbabwe’s crisis.
  8. She hosted the World Conference Against Racism (2001) in Durban.

Reformer at Home Affairs

  1. Under Jacob Zuma, she served as Minister of Home Affairs (2009–2012).
  2. She is credited with reviving a failing department, earning accolades and clean audits.
  3. However, critics argued that much of the turnaround began under her predecessor.

African Union Chairperson

  1. In 2012, she became the first woman to chair the African Union Commission.
  2. Her election broke protocol, angering several Francophone countries.
  3. She was seen as aloof, with critics accusing her of governing from South Africa.
  4. Her signature policy, Agenda 2063, was seen by some as ambitious but unrealistic.
  5. She suspended Egypt’s AU membership after the 2013 coup — a bold, rare move.

Return to South African Cabinet

  1. She returned in 2017 and ran for ANC president, losing narrowly to Cyril Ramaphosa.
  2. Under Ramaphosa, she was appointed Minister in the Presidency (2018–2019).
  3. She later became Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (2019–2023).

COVID-19 Pandemic Role

  1. During the pandemic, she was effectively South Africa’s lockdown czar.
  2. Her decisions — like banning tobacco — made her one of the most powerful politicians during that time.
  3. She became a viral meme when DJ Max Hurrell remixed her speech into the song “Zol”.
  4. The tobacco ban led to accusations of links to cigarette smuggling syndicates, which she denied.

Later Roles & ANC Politics

  1. In March 2023, she was appointed Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
  2. She has served under every president since 1994, a unique distinction.
  3. She’s a long-time member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee, first elected in 1994.
  4. She made two failed bids for ANC president — in 2007 and 2017.
  5. In both races, she was seen as the favoured candidate of Jacob Zuma’s faction.

Personal Life & Honours

  1. She was married to Jacob Zuma from 1982 to 1998, with four daughters.
  2. Her daughter Thuthukile Zuma was controversially appointed as Chief of Staff at age 25.
  3. She received the Order of Luthuli in Gold in 2013 for her anti-apartheid and diplomatic work.
  4. In 2019, she became the Chancellor of the University of Limpopo and had a KwaZulu-Natal municipality named after her.

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