Q&A: Mbali Ntuli

Chosen as the Investec Young Women in Finance Graduate in 2009, the star of Mbali Ntuli, the newly elected DA Youth leader, continues to rise.

Q: Who is Mbali Ntuli?

A: I'm passionate about bringing change, I'm a businesswoman and a social entrepreneur.

Q: What is your business?

I own two taxis and my family is involved in the taxi business. My father [Big Ben Ntuli] was chairman of a taxi association in KwaZulu-Natal. He died [due to taxi violence] when I was eight and I vowed to continue his legacy - it's what I owe my education to.

Q: Do you consider yourself a "clever black"?

Yes, but not the way President Jacob Zuma describes it.

Q: What are your views on youth?

I want young people to be inspired again, even within my own party. I want the DA Youth to be a unifier on how we can sort out some of the challenges facing us such as youth unemployment. We want to show young people [who've become apathetic] that politics matters.

Q: How is the DA Youth reaching out to these young people?

Two years ago we didn't have a student structure, now the DA Students Organisation is active in over 30 tertiary institutions and we're making headway where the DA was never able to penetrate.

Q: What's the membership of the DA Youth?

We have not yet audited the figures, so I can't give membership figures.

Q: Will you join the DA caucus in parliament after the 2014 general elections?

I don't want to go to parliament. I'm 25. I would really just like to concentrate on my position as youth leader. I'm also a councillor for Ward 57 [Inanda] in Durban and that also keeps me quite busy.

Q: Who does Nelson Mandela belong to?

Everyone knows that Mandela was part of the ANC, but we want to pay homage to the great work that he has done. I think the ANC should have let this one go as Mandela is an icon to everyone.

Q: Who got you into politics?

The people who got me into politics were Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Griffiths and Victoria Mxenge, Helen Suzman and Ruth First. My work now is paying homage to what they started as they continue to inspire me.