Topic summary
Siviwe Gwarube
22 May 2019
Rhodes University
Siviwe Gwarube (born 14 July 1989) is a South African politician who is currently serving as Minister of Basic Education in the Government of National Unity (GNU) since July 2024. A member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), she has been a deputy federal chairperson of the party since April 2026. She was the Chief Whip of the Official Opposition between August 2022 and June 2024. She joined the National Assembly of South Africa in the May 2019 general election.
Born in the Eastern Cape, Gwarube entered politics in 2012 as a spokesperson for DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko. During the Sixth Parliament, before her appointment as the DA's Chief Whip, she served as ShadowMinister of Health from June 2019 to February 2022, national spokesperson of the DA from November 2020 to August 2022, and Deputy Chief Whip from December 2021 to August 2022.