Richard Mdakane
Richard Mdakane (born 1 January 1955 in Dundee, Natal Province) is a South African politician from the African National Congress (ANC). He started his political work in anti-apartheid youth activism, joining the Alexandra Civic Organisation and the ANC underground, before entering formal politics.
He served in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 1994 to 2009, and was the Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 2004 to 2009. He then moved to the national level, serving in the National Assembly from 2009 to 2019. After the 2014 election, he was elected unopposed to chair the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Mdakane did not win a seat in the 2019 general election, being placed 144th on the ANC’s national list.
Mdakane returned to the National Assembly on 16 March 2023, replacing Nathi Mthethwa who resigned in a cabinet reshuffle. He served until May 2024 and did not stand for the 2024 general election.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:01 (CET).