Durban - Having returned from a year-long study programme in the US, former DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko has barely unpacked her bags before preparing to return to the US to lecture Americans about South African politics.
Mazibuko recently came home to South Africa after completing her Master’s degree in public administration at Harvard University.
Soon after landing, she heard she had been selected for the 2015 Institute of Politics (IOP) Fall Resident and Visiting Fellows. The other four selected were Americans who have held influential positions in the US government and in the media.
This is a four-month Harvard Institute of Politics project, which runs from the end of this month until December.
Mazibuko said the fellowship would enhance her understanding of world politics and the US democratic system, which she would apply once she returned home to resume political activities in the DA.
Mazibuko has not been able to come home to Durban to see her mother, June Mazibuko.
“I leave this weekend as I will begin the Harvard programme late in August or early September,” she said.
“I have seen the rest of my family in Cape Town. I was able to ask my mother to join me in Joburg, and we will have a family gathering here.”
Mazibuko said that the programme entailed teaching politics to students for eight weeks, and also interacting with communities.
“I will focus on how South Africa achieved its freedom and democracy, and talk about the challenges our country faces,” she said.
She said the participants would also have to invite guest speakers to share their political expertise.
“I intend to invite South African politicians from the opposition parties and ruling party and civil rights activists.
Mazibuko said she intended to resume politics soon after the Harvard programme ended, but did not say if she would contest the DA leadership.
Others selected for the programme are the former US assistant to the secretary of defence and chief of staff, Brent Colburn; the chief political correspondent for CNN, Candy Crowley; the deputy chief of staff for communications for the White House, Doug Heye; and Wendy Sherman, the US under-secretary of state for political affairs.
The Mercury