Get to Know Walter Tebogo Letsie

1.What is your Political Background? How did you join your political party and become an MP?

I come from the Westrand region in Gauteng.

I joined the ANCYL at an early age and led in the Branch Executive Committee of the ANCYL in Ward 17 Merafong City sub-region as an ordinary Branch Leader, later elected the Secretary of the branch and again as the Chairperson of the branch.

I went on to lead the sub-region of the ANCYL in Merafong as the Convenor in 2013 before being elected in the Regional Executive Committee of the ANCYL in the Westrand, I was also elected to be in the regional working committee of the same structure. Following this, I was elected to the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANCYL in Gauteng in 2014 and was a member until 2021. I have also been the Branch Secretary of the ANC in Ward 17, Merafong from 2012 to 2022, when I was elected to the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC In Gauteng. I am still a member of the ANC PEC in Gauteng.

I was literally born into the ANC. I have been a member ever since the legal age to become a member. I always tell people that I didn’t join the ANC, I was born into the ANC as both my parents were members and leaders of the ANC just like all my siblings are. I became an MP in 2019 after being nominated by the ANC to be a Member of Parliament. I was the 14th candidate on the Provincial list for Gauteng. In 2024, I was elected as the 4th candidate on the Gauteng list to Parliament.

2.What does your job as an MP emtail? What impact do you hope to have?

As a member of parliament, we are to ensure that we take the issues affecting our communities to the centre of the governmnent's attention.

I am currently the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, presiding over oversight of the Department, Ministry and over 120 entities in the sector. We are responsible for holding all of those accountable, which includes 26 Public Universities, 50 TVET Colleges, 21 SETAs, NSFAS, and many other public and private institutions.

The state of the post school education and training is not in good shape. We have shortages of public university spaces, as compared to those that come from the basic education sector. I hope that when our term ends, we will have created more spaces for all students seeking to better their lives, by implementing blended learning as a study method of choice. I hope to improve the audit problems of the SETAs and ensure that their impact is felt by the unemployed people of our country.

3.What are your thoughts on the government of national unity for the 7th Parliament?

Government of National Unity came about as a result of the voting results of the 29th May 2024 elections. There was no outright winner and political parties were forced to negotiate and create the GNU. The challenge with the current outlook of the GNU is just political parties egos, but it has worked well so far.

4.What can be done to get citizens more interested/involved in Parliament?

I think Parliament is doing well by ensuring that we interact with our people on a regular basis. Parliament has a TV channel, social media platforms and ensures that meetings of the committees are live broadcasted and streamed on YouTube. Parliament also ensures that committees can apply for oversight visits to institutions and interact with our people. Parliament has set aside Mondays as a day to interact with communities and Members are deployed to certain areas.

5.Which constituency office / Area have you been assigned to? Can you give examples of constituency work you engaged in or plan to do?

I have been deployed to Palestine PCO, an office situated in Orange Farms township in the south of Johannesburg.

At the beginning of each year, I make sure that we mobilise resources to buy school shoes for the needy, we do so because we want to make sure we restore the dignity of the poor. In 2024 I mobilised over 600 school shoes and we need more. We ask people who can donate to be in touch with us. We also ensure that we help students who wish to apply to further their studies by helping them apply for their institutions of choice and NSFAS.

6.What will you and your party be focusing on during your term? (Will you introduce legislation, will your oversight focus on any specific area etc)

The committee will have to look at a number of legislation during this term. We have the Higher Education Act which according to me, have clauses that are outdated and needs to be reconsidered.

We also have a Skills Development Act that is not assisting the SETAs to perform at their peak, and we will propose some changes there as well. Another Problematic Act is the Continuing Education and Training Act which isn't assisting TVET colleges.

7.What are you passionate about? This applies both in the political /Professional arena and personally

I’m very passionate about resolving problems. I think I’m actually addicted to seeing the faces of those people who may have lost hope, when they receive good news.

8.What is your message to South Africa?

My message is simple. We acknowledge that the higher education system is currently under pressure on a number of fronts, but we wil get it right. We will ensure that we resolve the economic problems we have in the country by producing the correct skills set that is required.

To learn more about Mr Letsie, visit his profile