Themba Godi

Themba Godi was born on 10August 1966 in the Village of Matsavana, Bushbuckridge in the Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga Province). Godi commenced his primary education at Matsavana Primary School in 1973. Thereafter he attended  Muzila Junior Secondary School in 1979. In 1982 he commenced his high school education at Hoyo-Hoyo High School and matriculated in 1983. In 1984 he registered and commenced his higher education at the University of the North (Turfloop) where he completed a B.A. (Paed) degree majoring in Education, Xitsonga and History in 1988.

Godi returned to Bushbuckridge and obtained work as teacher at Bondzeni High School in 1989 and taught there until to 1995 before moving to Ian McKenzie High School in 1996. He worked there teaching English, History, Physical Science and Mathematics until 2000. While working he enrolled the University of South Africa (UNISA) and completed a B.A. Honours in History.

Godi became politically aware when he was in his early teens at the age of 13. During one of visits to his father Godi found a book by Tom Lodge entitled, “Black Politics in South Africa”. This became the first piece of politically related literature that he read and it sparked his interest in politics. He increasingly became aware of political oppression under the Apartheid laws and poverty and this contributed to his political consciousness. At the age of 17 Godi joined the Pan Africanist Congress(PAC) became a political activist. He was inspired by the Africanist philosophy propagated by Robert Sobukwe, Thomas Sankara, Kwame Nkrumah among others.

Godi rose through the ranks of the PAC, first serving as a local councillor before becoming a regional councillor. He then went on to serve as the PAC’s head of youth affairs. After this he was elected as Deputy President of the PAC in 2003.In February 2004, he became a member of parliament. Godi served on a numerous Parliamentary Committees such as Social Development, Labour, Education and Trade and Industry. In November 2005 he was appointed the first African Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) a position where he still serves.

In September 2007, Godi broke away from the PAC and became the founding President of the African People’s Convention (APC) which has a seat in parliament.