​MEC for Department of Economic Development & Tourism

Venus Lorato Blennies-Magage is a bold and dynamic force in South African politics. Born and bred in Kimberley, she holds the distinction of being the youngest Member of the Executive Council in the country—proof that leadership is not defined by age, but by vision, grit, and the ability to deliver.

Sworn into the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in 2022, she quickly took on the role of MEC for Youth, Women, Persons with Disabilities, Communications and e-Government, before being appointed to her current portfolio: Finance, Economic Development and Tourism. Her trajectory speaks to both capability and trust—built through years of committed activism, political leadership, and disciplined performance.

Armed with an LLB from the University of South Africa, Blennies-Magage leads with a sharp legal mind, strategic clarity, and a grounded understanding of the people she serves. Her political grounding is deep: from her early days in COSAS where she held key national roles— including Deputy Secretary General and Acting Secretary General—to her leadership in the ANC Youth League as Northern Cape Provincial Chairperson and member of the National Youth Task Teams.

Known for her calm under pressure and methodical approach to complex tasks, she has earned a reputation as someone who gets the job done— without the noise, without the ego. Her leadership style is rooted in trust, integrity, and high-level
performance, making her a standout figure in a new generation of public servants committed to building a better future.

“Women are the people who are going to relieve us from all this oppression and depression. The rent boycott, the consumer boycott — they are the people who can turn the country around.”
— Mama Albertina Sisulu

Blennies-Magage embodies this spirit—grounded, unshaken, and determined to drive transformation where it matters
most.