Mr Malambule Samuel Mashinini

Sam (Malambule Samuel) Mashinini was born on the 22nd November 1959, on a farm called Proefplaas, where he did his Primary education and Standard 6. He then proceeded to Bethlehem for his high school education, where he also cut his political teeth. He furthered his high school education at Selelekel in Qwaqwa. The MEC holds two honors degrees from Witwatersrand University (Also known as Wits university).

He started working at the Gold Mine of President Steyn in 1982, in Welkom, where he joined the National Union of

Mineworkers (NUM) which had a strong membership. Having experienced first-hand, the brutality of the

Apartheid Regime during his childhood days in Proefplaas, Sam Mashinini had an inherent desire to improve the lives

of people, particularly mineworkers.

Having raised his hand, Mashinini was elected NUM shop-steward for Shaft no 4 of President Steyn Mine, reportedly

the biggest and deepest mine with more than 25 000 workers. He later became the shaft chairperson.

He subsequently played a pivotal role in the NUM drive to establish the Congress of South Africa (COSATU) in 1985.

In the mid-90s, Sam Mashinini became the NUM Deputy Regional Secretary in the Free State and later became

Regional Secretary, a position in which he served two terms. His passion for the improvement of people’s lives, his

drive and distinctive leadership qualities saw Sam Mashinini being appointed Acting Provincial Secretary of COSATU

in the Free State and the Northern Cape in 1999 (Free State and Northern Cape were one province in COSATU structures at the time). He was elected Provincial Secretary at the COSATU Conference in 2000, a position he has held until 2014.

Sam Mashinini also served as the African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Executive Committee member in 2011 before being elected National Executive Committee (NEC) member at the Mangaung Conference in 2012. He also serves as a member of the Provincial Working Committee (PWC) of the South African Communist Party (SACP). He served a short spell at the Free State Development Corporation (FDC).

After the National General Elections in April 2014, Malambule Samuel Mashinini was appointed as a Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for the department of Public Works and Infrastructure, where he served a period on 12 months before he was appointed as the MEC the Department of Economic, Small business development, tourism and Environmental affairs after the 2015 Provincial government reshuffle.

He is the former MEC for the Department of Police, Roads and Transport in Free State