Lakela Kaunda
| Lakela Kaunda | |
|---|---|
| Lakela Kaunda Lakela Kaunda | |
| Born | Lakela Kaunda July 1, 1964 uMgungundlovu, Kwazulu-Natal, S.A. |
| 🏡 Residence | Pretoria, Gauteng, S.A. |
| 💼 Occupation |
|
| Jacob Zuma's most trusted Advisor | |
| 🏡 Home town | uMgungundlovu, Kwazulu-Natal |
| 👶 Children | 2 |
Early Life[edit]
Mama Lakela Kaunda (born 1964 in uMgungundlovu,Kwazulu-Natal is the Chief Operations Officer within Department of Cooperate Governance Traditional Affairs. She is the third child in a family of seven. Her grandfather was one of the great heroes of the Mkhize clan of Nkandla in the early mid 19th century.She completed her matric at Nkosibomvu High School in Kwazulu-Natal. She was previously appointed as an accounting officer in the Presidency and is also responsible for strategy, operations and performance. The post was established to free the Director-General to concentrate on other key responsibilities including political support to the President and Deputy President as well as his responsibilities as Secretary of Cabinet, Chancellor of National Orders and chairperson of the Forum of South African Directors-General. She has previously served as the spokesperson of the then Deputy President of the Republic Jacob Zuma, as head of communications and later special advisor on communications to the Minister of Social Development, as director of communications for the Department of Communications and as public relations officer to the MEC for Economic Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal. She has also worked for the African National Congress as manager in the Office of the President.
Educational background[edit]
Ms Lakela Kaunda has the following Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in South African Politics and Political Economy from the University of Port Elizabeth
- Bachelor of Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University
- Bachelor of Arts Honours in Politics
- Post-Graduate Diploma in World Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science
Work experience[edit]
- Currently appointed as Chief Operation Officer(COO) under leadership of Dr Zweli Mkhize within Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
- Previously appointed as Chief Operations Officer(COO) of The Presidency ,with effect from 1 November 2014 to 2018
- She has previously served as the spokesperson of the Deputy President of the Republic, as head of communications
- Special advisor on communications to the Minister of Social Development
- Director of communications for the Department of Communications
- Public relations officer to the MEC for Economic Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal
- Manager in the Office of the President of the ANC
Memberships[edit]
- Member of the ANC
- Non-Executive Director : Rand Water 2014-Present
- A former journalist and newspaper editor, she was chairperson of the South African National Editors Forum in 1999- 2000
- Editor of the Evening Post in Port Elizabeth, becoming the first woman to edit a daily newspaper in the country.
- Political reporter for the Natal Witness and Echo newspapers in Pietermaritzburg
State Capture Inquiry[edit]
- Kaunda was Jacob Zuma’s closest advisor during his period as the president of South Africa. She also served in the capacity of chief of staff in The Presidency .She currently serves the Ministry of Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs which is headed by Dr Zweli Mkhize.
- The whistle blower in the State capture inquiry Vytjie Mentor allegedly claims in her statement to the commission, which is being chaired by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, that Kaunda phoned her to summon her to a meeting.
- Mentor says she made the trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg in the belief that her meeting was with Zuma.
- Mentor claimed that in 2010 the Guptas had offered her the position of Minister of Public Enterprises, provided that she arranged for South African Airways to drop their India route, allowing a Gupta linked company (Jet Airways) to take on the route. She said she declined the offer, which occurred at the Guptas' Saxonwold residence, while President Zuma was in another room.
- Kaunda’s legal team intends to submit to the commission that this claim is false as she had neither spoken to Mentor nor arranged the meeting.
- In 2017, the Sunday Times reported how the Gupta family tried to do several business deals with Kaunda.
- At the time Kaunda acknowledged that she had several meetings with Tony Gupta at the family’s Saxonwold residence but said she was "not engaged in any business relationship with the Gupta family".
- Zuma’s legal team, headed by Muzi Sikhakhane, is also likely to cross-examine Mentor but informed the judge that they are still waiting for all the documentation on the allegations pertaining to their client.
- It is not yet clear if Kaunda’s legal team will also request the opportunity to cross-examine Mentor or will depose an affidavit disputing her claims.
External links[edit]
- The Presidency COO Position [1]
- The State Capture Inquiry [2]
- Lakela Kaunda to join Cogta[3]
- Lakela Kaunda not captured [4]
References[edit]
[1]. The Citizen. Ms Lakela says she is not captured [2]. Ms Lakela Joins COGTA as Chief Operations Officer [3] Info on Ms Lakela [4] Ms Lakela COO at the Presidency https://www.thesouthafrican.com/vytjie-mentor-lakela-kaunda-zumas-gupta-fixer/[5] The State Capture
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