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Mr Isaac Sello Seitlholo was appointed as Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation on the 3rd of July 2024.
Born on the 9th of September 1989, he has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2019, making him one of the youngest members of parliament at the time till present. Being a young MP has allowed him to recognize the needs of the community as it directly reflects in his philosophy and life-long achievements.
His journey to Parliament is marked by a deep commitment to community engagement and a desire to address local government issues. Mr Seitlholo’s political involvement began in 2006 with a focus on historical documentaries related to the June 16, 1976 Soweto Uprising.
His active political career took off when he joined the Democratic Alliance as a Provincial Campaign Director in the North West in 2017. This role involved extensive community engagement and addressing local government issues, which motivated him to pursue a position in Parliament. Mr Seitlholo’s experience as a lecturer at the Potchefstroom campus of the North-West University, further solidified his belief that politics was the path to making a direct impact on people's lives.
His educational journey began at Tlokwe Secondary School in 2008 before he proceeded to the North-West University from 2009 to 2011, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Development and Management (Politics, Law, and Public Management), followed by a BA Honours in Development and Management (Public Management) from 2011 to 2012. He studied for a Master's degree in Public Management and Governance at the same university from 2012 to 2016.
As an MP, he strongly advocates the idea of building one South Africa for all; a vision derived from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 that emphasises inclusivity and equality. He aims to eliminate the fear that many South Africans have regarding the future direction of the country.
Mr Seitlholo’s political philosophy is deeply influenced by the ideals of unity and diversity. His personal experiences with overcoming racial prejudice and growing up in a township have fuelled his commitment to proving that it is possible to succeed regardless of one’s background. An extension of his philosophy is being able to distinguish between a politician and a leader which he displays by taking a keen interest in the needs of the poorest of the poor in local communities. He was assigned Constituency of Greater Taung Local Municipality in the North West where he was able to travel across the country to witness some of the work that is being done by the Department of Transport and its entities. His goal as an MP is to continue his grassroots work at a higher and more recognisable level, striving to make South Africa a better and more inclusive country for all its citizens.
Sello is passionate about being able to impart knowledge. He strongly believes that his sole purpose in life is to change people's lives. He believes that we have to introduce subjects that teach our children at an early age about the law-making process in our country and why it is imperative, and how we need to build active structures in our Municipalities that teach young people about Public Participation.
Mr Seithlolo has achieved quite a bit in his career thus far, whether it be in the political or academic space. Some of these achievements include:
- Being a member of the National Assembly from May 2019 till Present
- Lecturing at the University of North West - Potchestroom from the years 2014 to 2017 specializing in Public Management and Governance
- Achieving his Masters’ Degree in Public Management and Governance in 2017
- Getting a primary school in one of the rural villages called Mothanthanyaneng new ablution facilities through a petition that he championed as an MP
- Reopening of middle school as a primary school in the 2021 academic year, after having been closed for almost 5 years through a petition that he championed as an MP
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