Durban - Member of the provincial legislature in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbali Ntuli has been awarded a prestigious international accolade for her role in politics.
The 31-year old-Democratic Alliance (DA) member is among 5 young politicians from around the world to win the Young World Politician of the Year Award for 2019. The award will be presented to her, alongside Juan Guaidó from Venezuela, Thórdís Gylfadóttir from Iceland, Hervé Berville from France and Magid Magid from United Kingdom, in October at a summit in London.
According to One Young World, the award was created to celebrate the most impressive, impactful, young politicians under 35 from around the world.
Ntuli has been chosen based on the impact she has on her community and her position in improving the lives of young people. She’s the only South African to have been shortlisted and honoured.
Ntuli has served as the Provincial Campaign’s Director for KwaZulu-Natal since 2018. Her former roles include DA Youth Chairperson, a councillor for the community of Inanda in the eThekwini Municipality, DA Youth Federal Leader. She has played a significant role in helping the DA grow its political base beyond its traditional strongholds in the province and also sits on the party's provincial committee for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
Will be accepting the award in London so any London friends will see you there! pic.twitter.com/a56rXp6e1S
— Mbali Ntuli (@mbalimcdust) July 11, 2019
Honoured to have been chosen! ❤️ https://t.co/GxwnnmWJCb
— Mbali Ntuli (@mbalimcdust) July 11, 2019
“It’s nice that my work is been recognised...So insane but I’m thrilled to have been chosen as one of the winners. It’s nice to be recognized for one’s work especially amongst the incredible nominees,” Ntuli wrote on Facebook.
Ntuli juggles her political work with being a doting mother to her 4 month old newborn baby girl Sarabi YithiAmahlubi Hadebe.
“Its quite hard been a new mom, I did not realise how hard it would be and I have a very demanding job that requires me to travel,” she said.
Ntuli is now on a mission to find ways to support children’s organisations.
“On a personal level, I’ve started to volunteer and work with my colleagues in social development to give support not just to homeless kids but to organisations as well that deal with assisting children. I feel so strongly about it and I realised how much attention a little baby needs and I can't imagine how they do it with very little resources,” she added.
Her former DA colleague Lindiwe Mazibuko was part of the panel of six judges tasked with selecting the five winners of the award.
Mazibuko who is also the founder of Apolitical Academy said “the One Young World Politician of the Year Award provides much deserved recognition to the influential work of young leaders in politics, all over the world. The next generation need to see that they can make a difference in their communities.”