Mr Ntuthuko Mbongiseni Jomo Sibiya was appointed as Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour from 3 July 2024.
He hails from eSilutshane in Nquthu, the northern and rural part of KwaZulu-Natal.
He matriculated at the Ekucabangeni High School (Nquthu) in 1995 and pursued his post-matric studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He joined Transnet and Petronet, where he worked in various roles such as a general worker, crane operator, administrator, quality assurer and quality controller. During his tenure at Transnet, he successfully completed a Certificate in Material Handling Management from the South African Institute of Material Handling and has first-hand experience of shopfloor challenges as he is no stranger in the field.
Mr Sibiya served as a senior manager in the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2012 to 2014. In line with his drive and focus on efficiency, impact and results, he played a leading role in creating a turnaround strategy for 31 municipalities. He formulated strategies for financial, service-delivery improvement and oversaw their implementation.
Within three years, 12 of the 31 municipalities had shown substantial improvements through the introduction of good governance and better financial management practices. Additionally, he addressed and remedied the lack of engineers and technical expertise and engaged with the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent to support various initiatives.
In the period 2008 to 2012, Mr Sibiya worked as an entrepreneur and business manager for SesiPhambili Trading, where he founded a variety of small businesses in the electrical, alien plant eradication and landscaping fields. This saw him immensely contributing to employment creation and improving the lives of over 20 employees.
His political roles include serving as the African National Congress (ANC) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Committee member from 2018 to date; Inkosi Bambatha Regional Executive Committee member from 2014 to 2018, and Ethekwini Regional Chairperson of the ANC Youth League from 2011 to 2013.
In government, Mr Sibiya was:
- Special Advisor to President Cyril Ramaphosa at The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa from 2023 to 2024.
- Portfolio Chairperson of Human Settlements in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2022 to 2023.
- KwaZulu-Natal Member of the Executive Council for Public Works and Human Settlements from 2021 to 2022.
- Portfolio Chairperson of Education of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2019 to 2021.
- Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2014 to 2023.
Mr Sibiya’s journey reflects a tapestry of leadership, integrity, public service ethos, political activism and community engagement with a strong grassroots connections and organisational acumen.
From his humble beginnings in eNquthu to national governance, his trajectory inspires upcoming leaders, and is a testament of dedication and commitment to the transformative agenda as progressively set out by the Freedom Charter in 1955 and transformation agenda of 1994 for a better South Africa and the world.
Source: Department of Employment and Labour
