Who is Vusi Mavimbela?
Vusi Mavimbela is a South African politician, diplomat, and author. He was a former soldier of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), and spent many years in exile during the apartheid era.
He later served as a top administrator and counsellor in the offices of both Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, two former presidents of South Africa.
He also worked as an ambassador to several countries, including Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland. He wrote a memoir titled Time Is Not the Measure, which chronicles his life and experiences in the struggle for liberation and democracy. He is currently the South African Ambassador to Egypt.
Vusi Mavimbela Age
Vusi Mavimbela is 70 years old as of 2024.
Vusi Mavimbela Early Life and Education
Vusi Mavimbela was born in 1954 in Vryheid, a town in northern KwaZulu-Natal, where he grew up in a large and poor family. He attended local schools and showed a keen interest in reading and writing from an early age. He also developed a political consciousness and joined the ANC Youth League when he was 15 years old.
In 1973, he enrolled at the University of Zululand to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree in African Studies and Political Science. He became involved in student politics and activism, and was elected as the president of the South African Students’ Organisation (SASO) branch on campus.
He also befriended Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement, and was influenced by his ideas and vision. He participated in several protests and campaigns against the apartheid regime, and faced harassment and detention by the security forces.
In 1976, after the Soweto uprising, he decided to leave the country and join the ANC in exile. He crossed the border into Mozambique, where he met other young activists such as Solomon Mahlangu, Thomas Masuku, and Stephen Nkosi.
He underwent military training at the ANC’s camps in Angola, and became a member of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the ANC. He also received political education and intelligence training from the ANC and its allies in the Soviet Union and East Germany.
In 1981, he was sent to the United States as part of the ANC’s diplomatic mission. He studied at Columbia University in New York, where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs. He also travelled across the country, giving speeches and raising awareness and support for the ANC and the anti-apartheid struggle.
He met many influential figures, such as Jesse Jackson, Andrew Young, and Randall Robinson, and forged strong ties with the African American community and other progressive groups. He returned to Africa in 1985, and continued to work for the ANC in various capacities until the end of apartheid and the first democratic elections in 1994.
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Vusi Mavimbela Career
Vusi Mavimbela is a distinguished South African politician, diplomat, and author who has served his country and the African continent in various capacities. He began his career as a soldier of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), and spent many years in exile during the apartheid era.
He later became a top administrator and counsellor in the offices of both Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, two former presidents of South Africa. He also worked as an ambassador to several countries, including Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland. He wrote a memoir titled Time Is Not the Measure, which chronicles his life and experiences in the struggle for liberation and democracy.
Mavimbela’s first major assignment after returning from exile in 1994 was to head the ANC’s Department of Intelligence and Security (DIS), which was responsible for the security of the ANC leaders and members, as well as the integration of the former liberation fighters into the new South African National Defence Force (SANDF). He also played a key role in the establishment of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which took over the domestic intelligence functions of the former National Intelligence Service (NIS). He was appointed as the Deputy Director-General of the NIA in 1995, and later as the Director-General in 1999.
As the head of the NIA, Mavimbela oversaw the collection, analysis, and dissemination of domestic intelligence to protect the national security and interests of South Africa. He also coordinated the intelligence cooperation and exchange with other countries and regional bodies, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU).
He was involved in several peace and security initiatives, such as the mediation efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Sudan. He also dealt with various challenges and threats, such as the rise of crime, corruption, terrorism, and espionage.
In 2005, Mavimbela left the NIA and joined the Presidency as the Director-General and Secretary of the Cabinet. He served under President Thabo Mbeki, and later under President Kgalema Motlanthe, who succeeded Mbeki after his controversial recall by the ANC in 2008.
Mavimbela was the chief administrator and advisor of the Presidency, and was responsible for ensuring the effective functioning and coordination of the government departments and agencies. He also facilitated the communication and consultation between the Presidency and other stakeholders, such as the Parliament, the judiciary, the civil society, and the media.
In 2009, Mavimbela was appointed as the Ambassador to Zimbabwe by President Jacob Zuma, who replaced Motlanthe after the general elections. He became the first ambassador to Zimbabwe since the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) between the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition MDC parties, following the disputed elections in 2008.
Mavimbela’s main task was to support and monitor the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which was brokered by South Africa and the SADC to end the political crisis and violence in Zimbabwe. He also worked to strengthen the bilateral relations and cooperation between South Africa and Zimbabwe, especially in the areas of trade, investment, tourism, and infrastructure.
In 2013, Mavimbela was transferred to Swaziland as the Ambassador to the Kingdom of Eswatini, as it is officially known. He represented South Africa’s interests and values in the small landlocked country, which is ruled by King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch. He also engaged with the Swazi government and civil society on various issues, such as human rights, democracy, governance, and development. He also promoted the regional integration and solidarity within the SADC and the AU, and advocated for the resolution of the conflicts and disputes in the continent.
In 2017, Mavimbela was appointed as the Ambassador to Egypt, where he is currently serving. He is the head of the South African mission in Cairo, and the accredited representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Arab League, and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Vusi Mavimbela Wife and Children
Vusi Mavimbela got married his wife, Nomsa, in 1982, while he was studying in the United States as part of the ANC’s diplomatic mission. They have four children, two sons and two daughters, who were born in different countries during their exile.
Their eldest daughter, Kalushi, was named after Solomon Mahlangu, a fellow MK soldier and friend of Mavimbela, who was executed by the apartheid regime in 1979. Their second daughter, Nandi, was named after Nandi Mandela, the daughter of Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Their sons are Vusi Junior and Thabo.
Vusi Mavimbela Met Worth
Vusi Mavimbela has an estimated net worth of $36 million USD as of 2024.
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