Growing up in church under the supervision of disciplined parents are probably some of the factors in Deputy Minister of Small Business Development Jane Sithole being acknowledged recently as one of the best leaders in the government of national unity (GNU).
Sithole, who is also a DA leader in Mpumalanga, was born in Ga-Dikgale village near Polokwane in Limpopo.
She said every Sunday her parents wanted her to be in church and, after church, they made sure that she did her homework.
Sithole grew up experiencing community firsthand
“Growing up in that village I experienced the strength of community firsthand. Elders were parents, neighbours were family and values were reinforced daily at home, in the village and in church. Our parents raised us in church,” Sithole said.
“Being raised in the Lutheran Bapedi Church of South Africa anchored my life in faith, discipline and service. That upbringing shaped my world view and my commitment to people-centred leadership.”
Being disciplined and serving the public with integrity has earned her the FW De Klerk Foundation award for the best deputy minister in the government of national unity (GNU).
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“I believe life is guided by purpose. When you stay grounded in values, treat people with dignity and keep serving, things fall into place, even if the path is not always clear.
“My parents taught me to work hard, to be honest and to respect people. Those lessons stay with me wherever life takes me. I come from a supportive family and we keep each other grounded.”
In the next five years, Sithole wants to look back and see real impact, stronger small businesses, more inclusive economic participation and institutions that work better for the people.
Rural schooling
The deputy minister said she was proud to be one of the young people schooled in the rural area’s schools who managed to achieve their goals in life.
She started school at the Ga-Dikgalebased Mogabane Primary School and completed her Grade 12 in Ranti High School.
During her high school days, her favourite subjects were English, history and business studies.
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“English helped me develop a strong voice and confidence in expressing ideas, something I still rely on every day. History shaped my understanding of where we come from as a country and why leadership, justice and accountability matter.
“Business studies sparked my interest in how economies work and how entrepreneurship can change lives, especially at community level.”
Even though she was born and grew up in Limpopo, Sithole has spent most of her life in Emalahleni in the Mpumalanga highveld, where her professional life started in 1995, after completing her tertiary studies in Gauteng.
Professional life started in 1995
After completing matric, she obtained a BA degree in communications from the University of South Africa.
She continued to complete a national diploma in office administration from the Tshwane University of Technology.
To enhance her political career, she received a diploma in political leadership and governance from the Wits School of Governance.
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She also possesses other qualifications, which include a management development programme certificate and a senior management programme certificate from the Graduate School of Management at the University of Pretoria.
“Before going into politics, I worked for 18 years in the corporate environment. That experience exposed me to governance, performance management and decision-making under pressure.
It taught me the importance of planning, execution and accountability. Those skills translate directly into public service, especially in a portfolio like small business development, where efficiency, partnerships and practical outcomes matter.
18 years in corporate
“It helped prepare me for the responsibilities I carry today.”
The politician is a big fan of education and believes it opens doors, builds confidence and gives people the tools to shape their own future.
Education prepares young people not only for jobs, but also for entrepreneurship, innovation and lifelong learning, she said.
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“Ultimately, education is an investment in people and, when we invest in people, we invest in the future of our nation.
“Education does not just change lives, it changes generations.”
She said her motivation to enter politics was rooted in the belief that public office should be used to advance dignity, equality and opportunity.
Joined DA 26 years ago
Sithole joined the DA about 26 years ago when the party was still known as the Democratic Party.
She has served as a councillor for both the Emalahleni local municipality and the Nkangala district municipality from 2000 to 2014.
From 2007 to 2014, she had been the party’s chief whip of the Emalahleni caucus. In 2012, she was also appointed DA provincial deputy leader.
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“I was elected unopposed to the position of provincial chair of the party. And later elected unopposed again as the provincial leader of the DA in Mpumalanga on 3 March 2018.
“I was re-elected unopposed as provincial leader in October 2020. I was undisputedly given another term as the party’s provincial leader at the provincial congress in February 2023, and served as the leader of the DA caucus in the Mpumalanga provincial Legislature from 2018 to 2024.
“On 14 June 2024, I was sworn in as a member of parliament for the DA.”
Not new to leadership
Sithole is not new to leadership positions in the party. In 2005, she served as provincial chair for the Association of Democratic Alliance Councillors from 2005 to 2011.
During the formation of the GNU, she was sworn in as a member of parliament’s National Assembly and appointed deputy minister of small business development.
When talking about the relevance of the GNU, she said: “People want solutions, not political fights.
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“The GNU gives us a chance to work together, respect differences and focus on what matters most: jobs, dignity and opportunity.”
However, the GNU was a work in progress as coalition governance was complex, she said.
During her leisure time, Sithole likes to go out and eat her favourite meal: pap and mogodu. Her favourite drinks include home-made gingerbeer and she also enjoys a bottle of champagne.
