Mcebo Dlamini is a Swazi-born South African politician who was one of the prominent leaders of the #FeesMustFall protests in South Africa which led to a conversation on the introduction of free tertiary education for the poor, mainly black students, in the country.

Sisulu lineage claims

While a student at the

University of the Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( or ). The university ...

, he claimed to be the grandson of the late

ANC The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election installe ...

stalwart

Walter Sisulu Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu (18 May 1912 – 5 May 2003) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and member of the African National Congress (ANC). Between terms as ANC Secretary-General (1949–1954) and ANC ...

. He introduced himself as Mcebo Olyate Sisulu, lovechild of

Zwelakhe Sisulu Zwelakhe Sisulu (17 December 1950 – 4 October 2012) was a South African black journalist, editor, and newspaper founder. He was president of the Writers' Association of South Africa, which later became the Black Media Workers Association of So ...

and a Swazi princess. The brother of Zwelakhe,

Max Sisulu Max Vuyisile Sisulu (born 23 August 1945) is a South African politician who was Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa from 2009 to 2014. He was elected to the position on 6 May 2009, succeeding Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde Gwendoline ...

, later said: "My family knows nothing of a Mcebo." During a meeting with journalists from Wits Vuvuzela, he said, "My name is Mcebo Freedom Dlamini. That’s my stage name cebo Sisulu that’s the name I decided to call myself when I’m excited." Asked if he is the son of Zwelakhe Sisulu, he said, "No I am not." Asked if he is indeed a Sisulu, Dlamini said, "I'm not."

Expulsion from student leadership

A former President of the Students' Representative Council of the University of the Witwatersrand, he was expelled in 2015 for misconduct. He gained notoriety following controversial remarks, including praising

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

for killing white people as opposed to other leaders, who he said had killed only black people. Dlamini defended his comments following outcry from

South African Jews The history of the Jews in South Africa began during the period of Portuguese exploration in the early modern era, though a permanent presence was not established until the beginning of Dutch colonisation in the region. During the period of ...

, claiming that "the same thing Hitler was doing to the Jews, they are doing to the Palestinians". He supports the

BDS campaign Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel. Its objective is to pressure Israel to meet what the BDS movement describes as Israel's obligation ...

Arrest

He was arrested in 2016 and charged with violating a court order, public violence, theft, malicious damage to property, and assaulting an officer during the protest.

Sentencing

On 9 March 2020, the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court sentenced Dlamini to two years, wholly suspended for five years, for public violence. He was also given six months' imprisonment, again wholly suspended for five years, for unlawfully staying in the country.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dlamini, Mcebo Living people Place of birth missing (living people) 1986 births People from Mbabane University of the Witwatersrand alumni African National Congress politicians South African politicians convicted of crimes 21st-century South African politicians