- Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe will be sworn in as an MP next week - replacing Gwede Mantashe's sister, Tozama Mantashe.
- Tozama Mantashe died in hospital on 31 January after battling Covid-19.
- Burns-Ncamashe, 55, served Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's late sister, Queen Noloyiso Sandile of the AmaRharhabe, as an advisor and spokesperson.
Well-known Eastern Cape traditional leader Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe will be sworn in as an MP next week - replacing Gwede Mantashe's sister, Tozama Mantashe, who died of Covid-19.
Tozama, a former deputy president of Nehawu and provincial executive committee member of the ANC in the Eastern Cape, died on 31 January.
Burns-Ncamashe's swearing-in was confirmed to News24 by ANC provincial secretary in the Eastern Cape Lulama Ngcukayithobi.
The date for the swearing-in ceremony is expected to be announced later this week.
Burns-Ncamashe, 55, is an advisor, counsellor and spokesperson of the AmaRharhabe royal family.
He served for many years under the late queen mother of the nation and sister to Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, Noloyiso Sandile.
Burns-Ncamashe is currently serving the current king, Vululwandle Sandile, after the death of his parents, Zanesizwe and Noloyiso.
He served in the House of Traditional Leaders in the Eastern Cape from 1996 to 2017 and from 2002 to 2017 as its deputy chairperson.
Inaugurated
Burns-Ncamashe was a member of the National House of Traditional Leaders after being inaugurated by former president Nelson Mandela in 1997.
About his new role, he said: "It is very humbling to serve one's country as its public representative at its apex legislative assembly. I'm inundated with mixed feelings as we have just laid to rest a close friend and comrade, honourable Thozama Mantashe, yet I have to replace her in carrying out her revolutionary work in the advancement of the socio-economic transformation of our country and its people."
Burns-Ncamashe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in philosophy and psychology, an honours degree in philosophy and Master's degree in social sciences from the University of Fort Hare.
He is currently a part-time candidate for a PhD in social sciences specialising on the question of land at the university.
Honest
"I commit to be loyal, honest and diligent in serving the people of South Africa and be true to the ideals, policies and resolutions of the ANC as an instrument of change bequeathed with the task of bettering the lives of South Africans particularly during the year of unity, renewal and reconstruction."
Asked how he will tackle the new role, he said: "I will certainly be guided by the existing institutional systems in exercising the constitutional role of oversight and public participation through the Office of the Chief Whip and any other office of competent authority."
Ngcukayithobi said Burns-Ncamashe had been a loyal activist of the ANC for some time.
He added Burns-Ncamashe had cut his political teeth in student politics and was nurtured within the Mass Democratic Movement structures as a young activist in the transformation of the institution of traditional leadership through the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.