Kenny Motsamai Biography: Age, Career, Education & Net Worth

Kenny Motsamai Biography

Kenny Thabo Motsamai, originally known as Shadrack Doshani and born around 1962 or 1963, is a South African activist who played a crucial role in the anti-apartheid movement. Despite being a convicted murderer, he has transitioned into politics and is currently a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters party. Since May 2019, he has been serving as a permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces from Gauteng.

In the past, Motsamai held the position of a military commander in the Azanian People’s Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania during the apartheid era. His life took a significant turn when he was imprisoned for almost three decades due to his involvement in the killing of a white traffic officer during a bank robbery in 1989.

Career

Motsamai made a shift from the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) to join the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party in July 2018. In a radio interview with POWER Breakfast, he explained his decision, stating, “I was with the PAC because it was fighting for the land, but now the EFF is fighting for that, that’s why I am here.”

Before the 2019 general election, EFF leader Julius Malema expressed the party’s intention to challenge Motsamai’s criminal record. The aim was to enable his appointment to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the upper house of the South African parliament, post the election. Following the election, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature appointed Motsamai as a permanent delegate to the NCOP.

During the swearing-in proceedings on May 23, 2019, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, tasked with overseeing the swearing-in of new Members of Parliament, brought attention to section 106 of the constitution. This section prohibits convicted criminals from becoming Members of Parliament. While indirectly referring to Motsamai’s past murder conviction and parole status, Chief Justice Mogoeng clarified that the relevant section did not exclude Motsamai based on the information available.

This statement was met with applause from EFF MPs and the public gallery. Following his swearing-in, Motsamai appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, urging him to consider improving the well-being of military veterans and granting amnesty to political prisoners still serving sentences.