Phumzile Mgcina

Mgcina hails from Utrecht, a small farm town located about 40km from Newcastle in the Eastern Cape.

In her late 20s, Mgcina was elected as a council speaker for Amajuba District Municipality which comprises Newcastle, Dannhauser and Emadlangeni municipalities.

With the council's speaker position normally bestowed on senior politicians with a strong command and extensive knowledge of council rules, Mgcina managed to keep the council in check, despite her youth.

She said her interest in politics developed when she realised that the lives of marginalised people from her town had not changed post-1994.

https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/news/meet-phumzile-mgcina-the-countrys-youngest-council-speaker-who-has-big-political-ambitions-b69cfd6a-9601-486f-9f58-0c42807b346e