Ms. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is the Minister in the Presidency as from 06 March 2023. She will be responsible for State Security, Government Communications and Information System, Statistics South Africa, and any other responsibilities that will be assigned by the President from time to time. She previously held portfolios of Minister of: Communications and Digital Technologies (05 August 2021-06 March 2023); Small Business Development (30 May 2019 – 05 August 2021); and Presidency: Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (acting January 2021 – 05 August 2021). She holds an MBA Degree from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom. She also holds several undergraduate and post graduate degrees from the University of Johannesburg. She held different positions in both the public service and private sector. She started her career as a lecturer at the University of South Africa (UNISA).

She was the first female and youngest Spokesperson of a Premier in South Africa. She also worked as a Chief Information Officer in Limpopo. Minister Ntshavheni was once the youngest Municipal Manager in South Africa when she worked for Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality. She was also the Chief Operations Officer at the State IT Agency (SITA). Before her election to the National Assembly and subsequent appointment as Minister, she was a successful entrepreneur in various sectors including agriculture, FMCG, ICT and transport. She served in several boards. Her focus in the Communications and Digital Technologies portfolio was to fast track implementation of catalytic projects to bridge the digital divide and achieve access to internet by all South Africans; and use the communications and technology sector to build better societies with equal economic opportunities. In her first 6 months in that position, she drove the conclusion of some of South Africa’s long outstanding ICT and broadcasting projects such as the release of the IMT Spectrum and the Broadcast Digital Migration- switching of analogue signals in 5 of the 9 Provinces. In that role,

she also facilitated: # facilitated social obligations for IMT Spectrum licensees to connect over 18,000 schools and +3500 clinics and hospitals amongst others;
# the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa in partnership with institutions of higher learning;
# the development and launch of applications platform for African developed digital products known as DigiTech;
# the remodelling of the SA Connect programme to include community connectivity through the roll-out of over 36, 000 community wi-fi hotspots in between 2023 and March 2025.
# Set in fast-tracked motion, the corporatisation of the Postbank and its conversion to a State bank; and
# Facilitated the development and implementation of the Post Office of Tomorrow. While she was a Minister of Small Business Development, she led the development and adoption of the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP) that meaningfully supported businesses to access funding, markets for their products and enterprise development services. She led the placing of over 200 SMME developed/ made products on the shelves of large retail and clothing stores.

She coordinated and overseen government and private sector support to small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the period when she acted as Minister in the Presidency, she coordinated and led the government communications during the deadliest strain of the COVID-19 virus and the July 2021 Riots. She remains passionate about the role of entrepreneurship and ICTs in driving South Africa’s economic development. She is a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and a member of the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee of the African National Congress. She is also a member of the Prayer Women’s League of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Southern Africa.