Irene Mutsila
Irene Mutsila (5 June 1949 – 29 July 2017) was a South African politician from Limpopo. Formerly an anti-apartheid activist and poet, she was the first woman mayor of Vhembe District Municipality from 2006 to 2007. Before that, she represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Council of Provinces from 1994 to 1999 and in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2004.
Irene Mutsila
- Born
- 5 June 1949
- Died
- 29 July 2017
- Place of death
- Polokwane, Limpopo Republic of South Africa
- Birthplace
- Sibasa, Northern Transvaal Union of South Africa
- Occupation
- poet · politician · anti-apartheid activist
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Party — African National Congress • Office1 — Member of the National Assembly • Term Start1 — June 1999 • Term End1 — April 2004 • Born — 5 June 1949 • Office — Mayor of Vhembe • Constituency1 — Northern Province • Office2 — Delegate to the National Council of Provinces • Term Start2 — May 1994 • Term End2 — June 1999 • Constituency Am2 — Northern Transvaal • Term Start — March 2006 • Successor — Falaza Mdaka • Term End — July 2007 • Died — 29 July 2017 • Place of death — Polokwane, Limpopo Republic of South Africa • Birthplace — Sibasa, Northern Transvaal Union of South Africa
Early life and activism
Early life and activism
Mutsila was born on 5 June 1949 in Sibasa outside Thohoyandou in the former Northern Transvaal. She was active in the anti-apartheid movement and a veteran of the ANC Women's League. She was also a poet and published in Staffrider. After the end of apartheid, she served in the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC's Limpopo branch.
Legislative career
Legislative career
In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Mutsila was elected to an ANC seat in the Northern Transvaal caucus of the Senate (later the National Council of Provinces). After a term there, she was elected to the National Assembly in the 1999 general election, again serving the Northern Transvaal (by then renamed Northern Province).
Mayor of Vhembe: 2006–2007
Mayor of Vhembe: 2006–2007
In mid-March 2006, after the 2006 local elections, Mutsila was elected as the first female executive mayor of Limpopo's Vhembe District Municipality. However, her relationship with the ANC-controlled municipal council quickly deteriorated into what a local newspaper called a "power struggle". The situation worsened in May 2007, when she appointed a new municipal manager. Complaining that Mutsila had not consulted them before making the appointment, the council resolved to suspend her in late June 2007. The council subsequently alleged that the appointment of the municipal manager had been corrupt and grossly irregular. In addition, it said that Mutsila had defied the council's instruction to her to revoke the appointment. In late July 2007, the council passed a motion of no-confidence in Mutsila, removing her from office and replacing her with ANC regional chairperson Falaza Mdaka.
Death
Death
Mutsila died on 29 July 2017 at a private hospital in Polokwane following a short illness. President Jacob Zuma granted her a special provincial official funeral.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Irene Mutsila, revision 1350964150 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Government of South Africa. General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures. Government Gazette of South Africa. 408. 20203. 11 June 1999.
- 2.Former executive mayor of Vhembe, Ms Irene Mutsila, passes away. Limpopo Mirror. 2017-08-05.
- 3.President Zuma declares Special Provincial Official Funeral for struggle activist, Ms Mutsila. The Presidency. 5 August 2017.
- 4.Staffrider Volume 2 No. 4. South African History Online. 1979.
- 5.International Republican Institute. South Africa: Campaign and Election Report April 26–29, 1994. 1994.
- 6.Mdaka in Mutsila's shoes. Zoutpansberger. 2007-08-03.
- 7.Cllr Mahasela inaugurated as new mayor. Zoutnet. 24 March 2006.
- 8.Woman in driving seat at Makhado. Zoutnet. 17 March 2006.
- 9.Dispute over appointment of manager. Sowetan. 25 June 2007.
- 10.Axed manager wants job back. Sowetan. 5 July 2007.
- 11.Council manager improperly placed. Sowetan. 27 July 2007.
- 12.Motau, Koketšo. Zuma declares special provincial official funeral for Mutsila. EWN. 5 August 2017.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 27 September 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,529 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Irene Ibsen BilleAuthor
- Irene LisboaAuthor
- Irene McKinneyAuthor
- Irene MecchiAuthor
- Irene OsgoodAuthor
- Irene VillaAuthor
- Ireneo AffòAuthor
- Ireneo PazAuthor
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