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Solly Malatsi

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The Honourable
Solly Malatsi
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 July 2024[1]
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
DeputyMondli Gungubele
Preceded byMondli Gungubele
Deputy Federal Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 April 2023
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
ChairpersonIvan Meyer
National Spokesperson of the Democratic Alliance
In office
18 August 2022 – 15 July 2024
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Mmusi Maimane
Preceded bySiviwe Gwarube
Succeeded byKarabo Khakhau
In office
15 June 2018 – 24 November 2020
Preceded byPhumzile van Damme
Succeeded bySiviwe Gwarube
Willie Aucamp
Shadow Minister in the Presidency
In office
5 December 2020 – 14 June 2024
DeputyJoe McGluwa
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Preceded bySej Motau
Shadow Minister of Human Settlements
In office
5 June 2014 – 5 December 2020
DeputyMbulelo Bara
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Annelie Lotriet (acting)
Mmusi Maimane
Preceded byStevens Mokgalapa
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 May 2014
ConstituencyLimpopo
Personal details
BornMmoba Solomon Malatsi
(1985-12-22) 22 December 1985 (age 40)
Ga-Dikgale, Limpopo, South Africa
PartyDemocratic Alliance
Alma materUniversity of Limpopo
University of the Witwatersrand
ProfessionPolitician

Mmoba Solomon "Solly" Malatsi (born 22 December 1985) is a South African politician who is currently serving as Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies in the Government of National Unity (GNU) since July 2024. He has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since May 2014. He has served in the national leadership of the Democratic Alliance (DA) as a deputy federal chairperson since 2023. Malatsi was the DA's national spokesperson between June 2018 and November 2020 and again from August 2022 until July 2024. He was also the Parliamentary Counsellor to the DA Parliamentary Leader and held posts in the DA's shadow cabinet.

Following the 2024 South African general election he now serves as the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.[2][1]

Early life and education

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Malatsi was born in Ga-Dikgale in the former Transvaal Province. He matriculated from Phiri Kolobe High School and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Administration from the University of Limpopo. Malatsi also achieved an Honours Degree in political studies from the University of the Witwatersrand. Malatsi is a graduate of the DA's Young Leaders Programme.[3]

Political career

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Malatsi became a parliamentary researcher for the DA in 2008.[3] He then worked as a spokesperson for the Western Cape Provincial Minister of Transport and Public Works, Robin Carlisle, from 2009 to 2011. Between 2011 and 2014, he served as the spokesperson for Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille.

In May 2014, he became an MP for the DA and was appointed as Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation. He was later appointed as Shadow Minister of Human Settlements.[4]

In June 2018, Malatsi was appointed as national spokesperson for the DA, succeeding Phumzile van Damme.[5] He was re-elected for a second term as an MP in May 2019. He then became the party's Shadow Minister in the Presidency in June. In October 2019, he was appointed parliamentary counsellor to the newly elected DA parliamentary leader, John Steenhuisen.[6]

On 24 November 2020, Malatsi stepped down as the DA's national spokesperson.[7] Malatsi was reappointed to the shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister in the Presidency in the following days.[8]

In the 2020 Register of Members’ Interests, Malatsi revealed that he had received remuneration from the Foschini Group for a sports photo shoot.[9]

On 18 August 2022, Malatsi was appointed as the DA's national spokesperson, succeeding Siviwe Gwarube, who became the new chief whip of the DA's parliamentary caucus.[10]

Malatsi was elected as one of three deputy federal chairpersons of the DA at the party's Federal Congress in 2023.[11] In April 2026, Malatsi stood for re-election as a federal chairperson. He supported Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis's campaign for DA leader.[12] He was re-elected at the party's Federal Congress on 12 April 2026.[13]

National government

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In July 2024, Malatsi was sworn in as the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.[2][1]

In November 2024, Malatsi withdrew the South African Broadcasting Corporation SOC Ltd Bill (B32-2023), widely known as the SABC Bill, citing concerns that it does not address the public broadcaster's funding model and that it grants the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies excessive influence over board appointments.[14] The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies in the National Assembly, Khusela Diko, criticised Malatsi's decision, describing it as a potential "death knell" for the SABC.[15]

In April 2026, Malatsi published the Draft South Africa National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2026 for public comment [16] and subsequently withdrew the draft policy following a scandal involving the inclusion of fake, AI-hallucinated citations in its reference list.[17][18] On 25 April 2026, Khusela Diko, the chairperson of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies publicly called for the Minister of to withdraw the policy on an X post,[19][20] Two unnamed officials were suspended pending internal investigation into the inclusion of fictitious citations.[21]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Historic day for SA as government of national unity ministers take oath of office". Daily Maverick. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Ramaphosa calls family meeting to announce GNU Cabinet". News24. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 Mabotja, Reabetswe (10 June 2014). "Malatsi makes the province proud". reviewonline.co.za. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Chabalala, Jeanette (15 June 2018). "Solly Malatsi appointed as additional DA national spokesperson ahead of elections". News24. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "DA appoints MP Solly Malatsi as second spokesperson". SABC News. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  6. ↑ Mkhwanazi, Siyabonga (31 October 2019). "DA's Steenhuisen appoints Natasha Mazzone as party's new Chief Whip". IOL. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  7. ↑ Makinana, Andisiwe (24 November 2020). "Solly Malatsi steps down as DA spokesperson". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  8. ↑ Mazzone, Natasha. "DA announces new Shadow Cabinet that will bring Real Hope and Real Change". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "MPs moonlighting, getting money from churches, and even free mall parking. Find out what else they have declared". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  10. ↑ Ndenze, Babalo. "DA switches up its parliamentary caucus, appoints Gwarube as new chief whip". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Steenhuisen to lead DA in 'crucial' 2024 elections - LNN". Midrand Reporter. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Malatsi backs Hill-Lewis for DA leader and signals shake-up of party's cabinet posts". Business Day. 7 April 2026. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Bega, Sheree (12 April 2026). "Hill-Lewis takes helm of DA leadership". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Solly Malatsi withdraws contentious SABC Bill - TechCentral". 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  15. ↑ Patel, Faizel (11 November 2024). "Withdrawal of bill spells 'death knell' for SABC, warns Diko". The Citizen. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  16. ↑ "Draft AI policy approved for publication for public comment | SAnews". www.sanews.gov.za. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Minister announces withdrawal of draft AI Policy | SAnews". www.sanews.gov.za. 26 April 2026. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Schutters, Lindsey (27 April 2026). "Malatsi withdraws draft AI policy after hallucination revelations". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Malatsi to account in Parliament over scrapped draft AI policy: Diko". SABC News. 29 April 2026. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  20. ↑ Diko, Khusela (25 April 2026). "Withdraw it immediately so you don't face further embarrassment and lose more credibility". X. Retrieved 11 May 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ↑ "Two officials suspended over AI-generated draft AI policy". TimesLIVE. 1 May 2026. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
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