11 Facts About Beatrice Ngcobo

Beatrice Thembekile Ngcobo was a South African politician and activist who represented the African National Congress in the National Assembly from 2004 until her death in 2018.

Beatrice Ngcobo served the KwaZulu-Natal constituency from 2009 onwards and chaired the Portfolio Committee on Tourism from 2014 to 2018.

Beatrice Ngcobo was born on 18 July 1943 in Port Shepstone in the former Natal Province.

Beatrice Ngcobo matriculated at Inanda Seminary, where she was a prefect, and trained as a nurse and midwife at McCord Hospital in Durban.

Beatrice Ngcobo used a wheelchair thereafter but continued to work as a nurse and became active in activism for the rights of disabled people.

Beatrice Ngcobo was a founding member and long-time supporter of Disabled People South Africa, an affiliate of Disabled Peoples' International, and lobbied for the establishment of the Disabled Students Forum at her alma mater, the University of Natal.

Beatrice Ngcobo completed a bachelor's in nursing science health services management at the University of South Africa in 1988 and went on to enrol at the University of Natal, where she completed an advanced nursing education diploma in 1989 and a master's degree in 1992.

Beatrice Ngcobo was a full-time commissioner for the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, in which capacity she was particularly interested in the rights of women in rural communities, and she served as acting chairperson of the commission in 2002 after the expiry of Joy Piliso-Seroke's term.

Beatrice Ngcobo was first elected to the National Assembly in the 2004 general election, although, due to a technicality regarding her eligibility which went unnoticed until 2005, she was not legally sworn in to the seat until 15 September 2005.

Beatrice Ngcobo was re-elected to her seat in the 2009 and 2014 elections, and from 2009 she represented the KwaZulu-Natal constituency.

Beatrice Ngcobo fell ill after undergoing surgery in January 2018 and died on 18 February 2018.