Enyinna Nkem-Abonta is a Nigerian-born South African retired politician who was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa in the 2004 general election as a member of the Democratic Alliance. He resigned from the DA in 2005 and joined the African National Congress. Nkem-Abonta left parliament at the 2009 general election.
Enyinna Nkem-Abonta | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | |
| In office 2004–2009 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nigeria |
| Political party | Libertarian Party (2013) |
| Other political affiliations | African National Congress (2005–Unknown) Democratic Alliance (until 2005) |
| Education | Paris Dauphine University (PhD) |
Early life and education
editNkem-Abonta was born in Nigeria.[1] He moved to South Africa in 1994 after receiving a doctorate in applied economics from the Paris Dauphine University in France. He worked as the policy and research head for Ntsika, the Financial and Fiscal Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal treasury department. Before he was elected to parliament, he taught economics at the University of Pretoria.[1]
Political career
editIn the 2004 general election he was elected as a Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament to the National Assembly in Cape Town.[2] He was appointed the DA's shadow minister for trade and industry.[3] During a debate on Black Economic Empowerment in September 2004, Deputy Minister Lulu Xingwana told Nkem-Abonta to go home where "millions of black people" needed him and that he "should not have run away" from his own country.[4] Nkem-Abonta dismissed his xenophobic run-in with Xingwana as "just politics".[5]
After Raenette Taljaard resigned as a DA MP in late 2004, he took over as shadow finance minister.[3] Nkem-Abonta crossed the floor during the 2005 floor-crossing window period and joined the African National Congress.[1] Nkem-Abonta then served as an ANC MP until the 2009 general election when he left parliament.[6]
In 2013, Nkem-Abonta assisted with the creation of the Libertarian Party of South Africa.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Singing for his supper?". Mail & Guardian. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 466, no. 2677. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 20 April 2004. pp. 4–95. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ a b "DA sets sights on black voters". News24. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "'Cartels are stealing our nation's wealth'". IOL. 14 September 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ Robinson, Simon (17 April 2005). "The New Face of Prejudice". Time. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "Being black in the DA". Mail & Guardian. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ Vegter, Ivo (20 October 2013). "The launch of SA's Libertarian Party: herding cats in time for 2014". The Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 April 2021.