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Yusuf Suleman Bhamjee (born 10 January 1950) is a South African politician, academic, and former anti-apartheid activist. He was the Mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal from 2008 to 2016. Before that, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and National Assembly between 1994 and 2008.

Early life and career

Bhamjee was born on 10 January 1950 in Wolmaransstad in the former Transvaal. His elder brother was activist Hanef Bhamjee. While attending high school in Natal Province, Bhamjee was an accomplished sportsman, matching the South African 100-metre sprint record at the national athletics championships. He later played cricket for as a bowler and batsman for Natal, and he was a member and later coach of Young Natalians FC.

After attending university in Dublin, Ireland, Bhamjee became a politics lecturer at the University of Natal. During the same period, he was active in the anti-apartheid movement through the Natal Indian Congress and United Democratic Front; he was particularly active in campaigning for sports boycotts of South Africa. In 2019, Andrew Mlangeni awarded him the Andrew Mlangeni Green Jacket for his contribution to non-racial sport.

Legislative career: 1994–2007

In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Bhamjee was elected to represent the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature. Later the same year, he was the only Indian to win election to the Provincial Executive Committee of the KwaZulu-Natal ANC. He was elected to a second term in the legislature in the 1999 general election.

In the 2004 general election, Bhamjee was elected to an ANC seat in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Assembly. However, midway through the term, on 10 August 2007, he resigned from his seat and returned to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature; his seat in the National Assembly was filled by Ntombikayise Sibhidla.

Mayor of uMgungundlovu: 2008–2016

On 23 April 2008, Bhamjee was elected as mayor of uMgungundlovu District Municipality, with Tu Zondi as his deputy. His election followed the ousting of Bongi Sithole, whom the ANC removed in a vote of no confidence due to allegations of mismanagement and maladministration. Bhamjee was retained in the mayoral office after the 2011 local elections. In addition, he was co-opted onto the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in 2012.

As the end of his second mayoral term approached, the ANC announced that Bhamjee would not stand for another term as mayor. After the 2016 local elections, he was succeeded as mayor by the ANC's Thobekile Maphumulo but was re-elected to the council and was elected as its speaker.

Personal life

Bhamjee married Sabera Bhamjee in 1977 after seven years of courtship. They had two daughters, Suhayfa and Sameera. Sabera was the only woman gynaecologist in Pietermaritzburg at the time of her death.

Sabera died on 2 June 2006 in her consulting room at St Anne's Hospital after being stabbed more than 60 times in her neck, head, and chest. There were no witnesses and no forensic evidence and the motive for the killing was unclear. As of 2017, the police had not found any leads in the murder investigation.

References

1. ^ "Yusuf Bhamjee: An icon in the sports struggle". Capital Newspapers. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
2. "A giant of the anti-apartheid movement has fallen". The Mail & Guardian. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
3. "PMB anti-apartheid hero honoured in Wales". Capital Newspapers. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
4. "Former KZN district mayor Yusuf Bhamjee honoured by Andrew Mlangeni". IOL. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
5. "Chiefs elected to win ANC votes". The Mail & Guardian. 9 December 1994. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
6. "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
7. ^ "National Assembly Members". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
8. Naidoo, Nalini (4 March 2008). "Values: No charge to object". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
9. Gumede, Thabisile (24 April 2008). "New man at district". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
10. Gumede, Thabisile (28 April 2008). "Premier backs mayor". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
11. Miya, Skhumbuzo (29 May 2011). "Yusuf Bhamjee returns as UMDM mayor". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
12. Naidoo, Nalini (5 June 2012). "Bhamjee, Govender join ANC executive committee". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
13. Nsele, Sabelo (29 June 2016). "KZN ANC shows its hand". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
14. "Women in leadership in Umgungundlovu". News24. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
15. ^ Pillay, Kailene (11 June 2017). "Killings of women painful reminder for Bhamjee". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
16. ^ Hans, Bongani (1 June 2010). "Bhamjee still hopes for closure". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
17. Mbanjwa, Bheki (6 June 2006). "Doctor stabbed 60 times". News24. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
18. Singh, Niyanta (23 October 2013). "Wife's killers still at large". Witness. Retrieved 12 June 2023.

• Living people
• 1950 births
• People from Maquassi Hills Local Municipality
• South African politicians of Indian descent
• South African anti-apartheid activists
• African National Congress politicians
• 20th-century South African politicians
• Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2004–2009
• Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
• Mayors of places in South Africa