H.E. Mr. Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, South Africa’s Ambassador to the USA, will join World Affairs Council of Austin members for an exclusive political and trade briefing.
Ambassador Mahlangu is one of the leaders who played a critical role in the process leading up to the first democratic South Africa. Between 1991 and 1994, he was a negotiator at the Congress for Democratic South Africa (CODESA) and the Multiparty Negotiation Forum. In 1993, he became the Co-Chairperson of these bodies. From 1993 to 1994 he was a member of South Africa’s Transitional Executive Council.
After the first democratic elections in 1994, he joined the National Assembly in the Parliament of South Africa as a representative of the African National Congress. He became a member of the Constitutional Assembly (CA), the body that drafted the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. As a member of the CA, he chaired the Core Group of the Theme Committee on Chapter 4 dealing with Parliament. During his tenure as a Member of the National Assembly he also served as Chairperson of House Committees.
In 2002, he was elected Permanent Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Parliament. After the third democratic elections in 2004, he was re-elected Permanent Deputy Chairperson of the Council. In 2005 he was elected the Chairperson of the NCOP and was re-elected in 2009. He served in this position until the fifth democratic elections in 2014.
He has represented South Africa in many international platforms, including the UN and G20 Speakers Conferences. He was the leader of the South African Parliament’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament. His duties in this continental body included serving in the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline. He has held the positions of Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region) and President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (International) respectively.
World Affairs Council of Austin members receive exclusive invitations to private events. Membership information is available at: www.wacaustin.org/membership
