Ms. Khusela Sangoni Diko, MP (ANC) is the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies of the seventh Parliament of South Africa.

Ms. Diko is a seasoned political activist and marketing and communications professional with over 15 years’ experience in senior management in both the public and private sectors. Her expertise includes governance and public administration, stakeholder management, inter-governmental coordination and investor relations.

She is the former Head of Communications in the Presidency of South Africa and served as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson from 2018 to 2020 - the first female appointed to this position. Her tenure in the Presidency included the roles of spokesperson to the Chairperson of BRICS and SADC (2018) and Chairperson of the African Union (2020).

Ms. Diko provided support to the Presidency during amongst others NEDLAC engagements, the South Africa Investment Conferences and global investor engagement sessions that include the World Economic Forum (WEF), Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), BRICS Summits and the EU Africa Investment Summits.

She began her career as a Junior Business Analyst at Accenture and held various positions in the private sector straddling ICT, marketing and advertising and joined the public sector in 2006 at the Gauteng Shared Service Center. Prior board membership experience include serving on state owned entities Joburg MetroBus, Gauteng Tourism Agency, Gauteng Growth and Development Agency and Alfred Nzo Development Agency. Ms. Diko has also served as Acting Deputy Director-General of the Government Communication and Information Service (GCIS) 

Ms. Diko is a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress, has served as a Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and Working Committee (PWC) member of the ANC in Gauteng province, the country’s economic engine. Between 2014 and 2018 was National Communications Manager heading the ANC’s Department of Information and Publicity.

She holds a BCom (Marketing), BCom Hons. (Business Management), and a BA Hons. (Communication Theory). Ms. Diko is currently a MA (Development Studies) candidate at the University of Johannesburg.