Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (born 13 November 1956) is a South African politician who served as the Speaker of the National Assembly from August 2021 until her resignation on 3 April 2024. She was a cabinet minister from 2004 to 2021, including as Minister of Defence and Military Veterans between June 2012 and August 2021. She was an elected member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) between 2002 and 2022 and is a former president of the ANC Women's League.

Quotes

• Women must take their rightful place
  • [1]
• Women don’t want to be patronised, they want to be recognised for what they do.”
  • [2]
• South African women are assertive and are rising to the challenge. Women all over the world are taking their rightful place.
  • [3]
• For me, the proof is in the pudding. I think I have earned [the South African people’s] respect
  • [4]
• men and women [who will] enlist and be deployed.” Women are particularly encouraged to join the forces
  • [5]
• South African women are assertive and are rising to the challenge. Women all over the world are taking their rightful place.
  • [6]
• One embarrassing thing to a man is when a woman minister asks him, ‘Why do you have to do that? Why do you need to lose everything you have invested in over the years?’ Much as I am a minister, I am also a mother
  • [7]
• I let the spirit of the constitution manifest in the vision and work of my ministry.
  • [8]
• All South African troops going on peacekeeping missions must undergo a rigorous SEA training. There is not a single soldier who does not know what sexual exploitation and abuse is and what the consequences are,”
  • [9]