The Diplomat
Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, South Africa’s new ambassador to Spain, has taken up her post, replacing Thenjiwe Mtintso, who has held the post for the past three years.
The new South African diplomatic representative, who was until recently her country’s ambassador to Switzerland, presented her Copies of Style to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in mid-July.
Like her predecessor, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele was a prominent member of the ANC (African National Congress) led by former president Nelson Mandela.
A journalist by training and author of several books, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele worked for 16 years for ANC radio in Tanzania and Angola.
Subsequently she was a member of the ANC representation in Sweden, Nigeria, Germany and Austria. In 1993 she returned to South Africa and became a member of the country’s first democratic government in 1994. A year later she was appointed Minister of Housing.