10 Facts About Lulama Xingwana

Lulama "Lulu" Marytheresa Xingwana was born on 23 September 1955 and is a South African politician who served as Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities from November 2010 to May 2014.

Lulama Xingwana became a Member of Parliament after the 1994 South African elections.

Lulama Xingwana is currently chairperson of the Southern African Development Community's Regional Women's Caucus and director of the South African Council of Churches' Women's Development Programmes.

Lulama Xingwana has chaired the Joint Monitoring Committee for the Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women, the Parliamentary Women's Caucus, the Malibongwe Rural Development Project for Women and the National Assembly Portfolio Committee for Sports and Recreation.

Lulama Xingwana has been a tutor of Classes for Domestic Workers in rural areas and the suburbs of Johannesburg, as well as for Learn and Teach, since 1985.

Lulama Xingwana was on the ANC's Provincial Executive Council for Gauteng and the National Assembly Portfolio Committee: Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Head of Development for the ANC Women's League and a member of FEDSWA.

Lulama Xingwana has spoken of her opposition to the return of capital punishment in South Africa stating that "it is against our ethos of human rights" and the democratic values of the country.

In March 2010, Lulu Lulama Xingwana stormed out of an art exhibition that she was attending in her capacity of minister of Arts and Culture, calling the work "immoral".

In early February 2013, it was reported that Lulama Xingwana spent R2.1 million on refurnishing the department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities head office with new designer furniture.

Lulama Xingwana was accused by opposition parties of using public resources to indulge in her own "extravagant taste in furniture and overseas trips" instead of defending the rights of vulnerable South Africans, which her department is responsible for.