In an open and big sphere such as we have today, the choice to be great or not have been given to everyone irrespective of gender, ethnicity, race, nationality or colour of skin. And that is why all over the world today some women can be singled out to have broken the myth that ‘its men’s world’ by achieving greatness more than what men could think of. Ms Azwihangwisi Faith Muthambi is one of those women, having stamped her feet as a woman of substance in all her endeavours and has success trailing her.
Muthambi’s appointment as the 9th communication Minister in the Republic of South Africa presents her as one that is capable of impacting her measure of experience to duty in South Africa’s communication Ministry. Since her appointment as Minister of Communication in May 2014, she has passionately taken her reform crusade to other critical sectors and Ministries in South Africa, seeking help and collaborations to reposition communications as the centre of policy development and implementation, which she emphasized can only be realised if communicators reclaim their space and active participation in all structures of governance—possible by building reliance on others to effectively function as the face, eyes and ears of Government, whose role is at the centre of achievement of the Nine Point Plan of President Jacob Zuma.
Her subjects of active public mobilization in the affairs of governance are based on the country’s success story, despite the challenges and the legacy of apartheid and colonialism that confronted the nation. Her use of communication as clear strategy is aimed at contributing to the development of the South African people; seeking public good and public interest and mobilize communities to form partnerships with Government to take the successes forward, an approach she which she believes will solidify democratic values and sustenance, hence guarantees the strength and functionality of all democratic institutions and government agencies—her ministry’s blueprint to serve the public by providing information on programmes of action of the government.
The Ministry of Information has become pivotal in projecting the policies and programmes of the Jacob Zuma led-ANC government in South Africa. The ministry under Faith’s leadership has remained focused on its core and primary role of championing every developmental process, which the minister as a communication specialist has reiterated her ministry was resolved to use to prioritise the developmental agenda of the government it serves. She once revealed that the marching orders given her ministry were clearly spelt out, and what it required is to communicate, communicate and communicate progress on the programme of action, plans moving forward and the challenges that might delay implementation of some of the plans of government.
By reason of responsive leadership, the ministry has become the mouthpiece in projecting the administration’s Nine Point Plan, protruding support for government’s efforts on Energy development, strengthening of mining towns, agriculture, small business development and cooperatives, infrastructure development including water, transport and Information Communication Technologies(ICT), boosting the industrial policy action plan, attracting investments and Operation Phakisa—a result driven approach, involving setting clear plans and targets, on-going monitoring of progress and making the result public.
Muthambi possesses an unending list of professional certifications and academic qualifications. Her string of qualifications include a Certificate in Computer Training , Certificate in Executive Leadership in Municipality Development Programme; Certificate in Project Management; Certificate in Fraud Examination; Programme in Municipal Finance Development; Certificate in Sports Law and Leadership Development. Ms Faith obtained a BProc degree from the University of Venda in 1996 and completed her Attorney’s Admission Exam in 2000. She is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa. She has worked as a Senior Manager: Corporate Services in the Mutale Municipality from September to December 2002, and as Manager: Labour Relations in the Limpopo Premiers Office from August 2000 to August 2002.
She is currently a member of the Provincial Executive Committee of the African National Congress in Limpopo, a member of the Provincial Working Committee and a convener of the Legislative and Governance Sub-committee. Faith is also a member of the Black Lawyers Association and of the South African Women Lawyers Association. She was Chief Whip of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and served in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA). She served as Secretary of the Tshimbupfe branch of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in Limpopo from 1991 to 1992.
From 1992 to 1993, she was a member of the Executive Committee of the Tshimbupfe ANC branch. She was Deputy Secretary of the ANC Vuwani Zone from 1993 to 1999 and Provincial Treasurer ANC Youth League, Limpopo, from 2005 to 2008. Asides becoming a member of parliament in South Africa in April 2009 till date, she also became a member of Pan African Parliament.