Gwen Ngwenya

Sinethemba Amanda "Gwen" Ngwenya (born 7 September 1989), is a South African academic, politician and Head of Policy for the opposition Democratic Alliance. She resigned from the post of Head of Policy in January 2019 but returned in November 2019. As a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance in the Fifth Parliament, she served on the Standing Committee on Finance. She has also served as COO of the South African Institute of Race Relations, Africa's largest classically liberal think tank.[1][2][3][4]

The Honourable

Gwen Ngwenya
Ngwenya in 2010
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
In office
27 February 2018 – 7 May 2019
Personal details
Born
Sinethemba Amanda Ngwenya

(1989-09-07) 7 September 1989
Durban, Natal Province, South Africa
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
Alma materUniversity of Cape Town
ProfessionPolitician

Early life and education

Ngwenya was born into a Zulu family in Durban on 7 September 1989. She attended St Mary's Diocesan School for Girls (DSG), a private boarding and day school for girls situated in the suburb of Kloof, and matriculated in 2007[5]. She was a contemporary of Lindiwe Mazibuko who was also educated at the school. She holds a BA Degree in Law and Classical Studies from the University of Cape Town where she served as the president of the Student Representative's Council as a member of the Democratic Alliance Students' Organization (DASO) in 2011.[6][7][8]

Ngwenya studied a Master's in International Economics from the University of Paris (Université Paris XII), where she wrote her thesis on Optimal Cartel Policy in India; she also enrolled for a Master's in Finance at the University of London.[9][10]

Career

After completing her studies, Ngwenya worked as an economics researcher for a competition economics firm in New Delhi, India.[11] Afterwards, she worked as an economist in the UK focusing on the pharmaceutical and airline industries. She was an accounts manager for international financial, software, data, and media company Bloomberg, before becoming chief operating officer for the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR)[12]. After leaving her post at the IRR, she was sworn in as a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance on 27 February 2018, serving as the party's Head of Policy.[13]

She resigned as DA Head of Policy on 24 January 2019, citing her dissatisfaction with former DA leader Mmusi Maimane's lack of concern for policy.[14][15] However, she remains a DA member. She is also a Member of the Council of the University of Stellenbosch.[10] Ngwenya is currently the chief executive officer of Techpol, a specialised public affairs advisory.[16]

In November 2019, it was speculated that Ngwenya would return to the DA. The party officially announced her appointment to her former post on 24 November 2019.[17]

References
  1. Town 8001, Associated Magazines 21 St Johns Street Cape. "Gwen Ngwenya". People's Assembly.
  2. "Shifting gears: IRR's Gwen Ngwenya to take up post in DA's political arena". February 20, 2018.
  3. "Gwen Ngwenya to take up post in political arena — Institute Of Race Relations".
  4. "NEWS ANALYSIS: Is the IRR becoming a lobby group for a faction in the DA?". BusinessLIVE.
  5. http://www.stmarysdsg.co.za/files/Old_Girls_Newsletter_2018-_issue_1.pdf
  6. "UCT Admissions: The DASO alternative". March 13, 2012.
  7. "Noseweek 223 Accidental MP". www.noseweek.co.za.
  8. Dall, Nick (September 24, 2018). "The Young Leader Challenging South Africa's Racial Boundaries".
  9. "Top executive to challenge UCT critics in court | IOL News". www.iol.co.za.
  10. "News - Communication from Council (meeting of 26..." www.sun.ac.za.
  11. "New DA MP Gwen Ngwenya is a polemicist of note | Sunday Tribune". www.iol.co.za.
  12. "What's the real reason for Gwen Ngwenya's resignation? | IOL News". www.iol.co.za.
  13. "Shifting gears: IRR's Gwen Ngwenya to take up post in DA's political arena". February 20, 2018.
  14. "Dear Mmusi, I quit! Read Gwen Ngwenya's full resignation letter". January 25, 2019.
  15. "Twitter takes on Gwen Ngwenya for saying 'Maimane is not the first to encourage diversity' in DA". TimesLIVE.
  16. Ngwenya, Gwen. "OPINIONISTA: It's not just BEE, race-based affirmative action must go too". Daily Maverick.
  17. Mkentane, Luyolo (24 November 2019). "Gwen Ngwenya gets her old DA job back". BusinessLIVE. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
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