Mmamoloko Kubayi was born and raised in Soweto. She and her family lived in a shack. Her mother was a domestic worker and an African National Congress supporter. Kubayi became pregnant at the age of 17 and gave birth to a son. Despite challenges, she matriculated from Thusa-Setjhaba Secondary School in 1997 as the school's top achiever and subsequently became involved in student politics. She attended the Vista University's Soweto campus and graduated with a BA Degree in Psychology and Sociology in 2000. She achieved a Project Management Diploma from Damelin in 2002.[1]
Kubayi was first employed as a Community Developer in the non-governmental sector. She was soon employed at First National Bank as a Skills Development Specialist, and, later on, found employment in the Business Banking Division at Nedbank. She soon worked in the public sector as a Skills Development Facilitator at the National Health Laboratory Services.[1]
Kubayi, while still in Vista University, joined the ANC Youth League and was elected to the university's SRC. After working at the National Health Laboratory Services, she briefly became a director in the Office of the then-Deputy President of South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.[1][3]
In 2006, she was elected an ANC PR Councillor of the City of Johannesburg and became the chairperson of the municipality's Portfolio Committee on Transport. At that exact time, she also served as a Provincial Executive Council (PEC) member of the ANC Youth League in Gauteng and soon became the Deputy Provincial Secretary of the ANCYL.[1][3]
In her capacity as an MP, she has served as a Whip of the Parliamentary Committees on Basic and Higher Education and Training, Private Members’ Legislative Proposals and Petitions. She was also acting Deputy Chief Whip of the ANC Caucus and a member of the Standing Committee on Appropriations, the Rules Committee and the Programming Committee. Most recently, she served as chairperson of both the Telecommunications and Postal Services Portfolio Committees.[3]
Following the May 2019 elections, Kubayi was appointed Minister of Tourism, succeeding Derek Hanekom.[9] In June 2021, she was appointed acting minister of health after Zweli Mkhize was placed on leave over corruption allegations.[10]
During a cabinet reshuffle on 5 August 2021, Kubayi was appointed as Minister of Human Settlements by president Ramaphosa.[11] She was reappointed in this position after the 2024 election, and was sworn in again on 3 July 2024.[12] She was reshuffled to Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development in December 2024.[13]
Personal life
She married Joel Sihle Ngubane on 16 September 2017 and separated in April 2021[14] They later finalised their divorce.
