Aumsensingh "Omie" Singh (born 22 June 1957) is a South African politician and businessman from KwaZulu-Natal. From 2014 to 2019, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Council of Provinces, where he co-chaired Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests. Before that, he served in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2001 to 2014 and in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2001. Having entered politics as a member of the Democratic Party (DP), he joined the ANC by floor-crossing in March 2003.
Omie Singh | |
|---|---|
| Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests | |
| In office 8 July 2014 – 7 May 2019 Serving with Amos Masondo and Humphrey Maxegwana | |
| Preceded by | Buoang Mashile |
| Succeeded by | Lydia Moshodi |
| Delegate to the National Council of Provinces | |
| Assembly Member for KwaZulu-Natal | |
| In office 22 May 2014 – 7 May 2019 | |
| Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature | |
| In office October 2001 – May 2014 | |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office June 1999 – 1 October 2001 | |
| Constituency | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Aumsensingh Singh 22 June 1957 Durban, Natal Province Union of South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress (since March 2003) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic Party (until March 2003) |
Early life and career
editBorn on 22 June 1957[1] in Durban, Singh attended Chatsworth High School.[2] He joined the Progressive Federal Party, a predecessor to the DP, in 1986.[3] He was a businessman until he became involved in frontline politics after the end of apartheid.[2]
Legislative career
editSingh was a local councillor for the DP in Durban until the 1999 general election,[4] when he was elected to a DP seat in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Assembly.[5] He served in the seat for a little over two years, leaving on 1 October 2001 to join the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, where he swopped seats with Mark Lowe.[5]
In March 2003, while he was serving in the provincial legislature, Singh became the first public representative to take advantage of that month's floor-crossing window, announcing that he had resigned from the DP in order to join the ANC. He reportedly disagreed with the DP's decision to cooperate more closely with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).[6][7] He served the rest of the legislative term under the ANC banner[8] and was re-elected to a full term in the seat, on the ANC's party list, in the 2004 general election.[9] He was re-elected in 2009.[10]
In the 2014 general election, Singh was elected to the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Council of Provinces.[2] He served a single term there and co-chaired Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests.[3][11] He left Parliament after the 2019 general election[12] and retired from frontline politics,[13] though he was active as president of the KwaZulu-Natal International Business Association,[14] as well as active in community organising in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal.[15]
References
edit- ^ "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "Aumsensingh Singh". People's Assembly. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Singh sticks to reconciliation agenda". Sunday Tribune. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2023 – via PressReader.
- ^ "Parties appeal to Indian fears". The Mail & Guardian. 28 May 1999. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ a b "The National Assembly List of Resinations and Nominations". Parliament of South Africa. 2 June 2002. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "DA member jumps ship to ANC". The Mail & Guardian. 21 March 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Zulu, Mandla (22 March 2003). "Buthelezi wants ANC MEC's out". News24. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Alliance split over election list". The Mail & Guardian. 21 November 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 466, no. 2677. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 20 April 2004. pp. 4–95. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "KwaZulu-Natal MPLs elected April 22". Politicsweb. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Parly disciplinary hearings loom for Bongo, Manana". The Mail & Guardian. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "ANC sheds 19 seats, but 'tainted' remain". IOL. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Sending India a breath of fresh air". IOL. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "KIBA: Two years and still going strong". Rising Sun Overport. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Phoenix community 'ready to defend themselves' against threats of violence". IOL. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
External links
edit- Mr Aumsensingh Singh at People's Assembly