19 Facts About Mervyn Dirks

Mervyn Alexander Dirks is a South African politician who served as a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature from June 2023 until February 2024.

Mervyn Dirks joined Jacob Zuma's UMkhonto WeSizwe party in 2024 and was the MK party's KwaZulu-Natal legislature speaker candidate he was defeated by Ntobeko Boyce of the African National Congress.

Mervyn Dirks had to use a passport to cross the Umzimkulu River to attend school in the former Natal Province.

Mervyn Dirks began his political activism by participating in the Happy Valley rent boycotts.

Mervyn Dirks joined the United Democratic Front in the 1980s and became the organisation's head organiser in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal.

In 1995, Mervyn Dirks was elected as a municipal councillor of the Pietermaritzburg municipality.

Mervyn Dirks served in the position until 2010, when the ANC recalled the municipal leadership.

Mervyn Dirks was elected as an MP at the 2014 general election held on 7 May He was sworn into office on 21 May 2014.

Mervyn Dirks was re-elected for a second term as an MP in May 2019.

In January 2022, Mervyn Dirks wrote a letter to the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, in which he requested that the committee to summon ANC president and the current President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, to appear in front of the committee for his alleged misuse of state funds for party activities.

Mervyn Dirks refused and on the same day, he wrote to the ANC's strategy group and demanded that they explain to him as to why he needs to withdraw his letter.

On 13 December 2022, Mervyn Dirks was one of five ANC MPs who defied the party whip to vote against the adoption on the Section 89 Panel report on whether sufficient evidence exists to show that President Cyril Ramaphosa committed a serious violation of the Constitution or law or committed a serious misconduct amid the 2020 Phala Phala Robbery.

Mervyn Dirks said on his resignation that he would remain a party member.

Mervyn Dirks was sworn in as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on 22 June 2023.

Mervyn Dirks filled the casual vacancy arising from Kwazi Mshengu's resignation.

Mervyn Dirks was expelled from the ANC on 25 February 2024 for aligning himself to former president Jacob Zuma's Umkhonto we Sizwe party which he subsequently joined.

In 2017, Mervyn Dirks attempted to disrupt a parliamentary debate regarding state capture.

In September 2017, The Witness reported that Mervyn Dirks had an outstanding municipal debt over R60,000.

Later, in 2019, Mervyn Dirks was referred to the parliamentary Ethics Committee after he called certain MPs "dogs".