Cameron Mackenzie (politician)

The son of Donald and Jeanne MacKenzie from Inverness, Scotland, Mackenzie was a grade representative on the Students Representative Council (SRC) in high school.[1] He refused to join the South African Defence Force and left the country.[1] He returned in 1990 and got involved in politics, joining the ANC in 1992 after the Boipatong Massacre.[2] Mackenzie later left politics in protest in 1996 following the conclusion of the Arms Deal. He holds a bachelor's degree in Communications Sciences from the University of South Africa, as well as several certificates including Media Freedom and Freedom in Africa from the University of the Witwatersrand.[3] He began his career in financial services, working for Baring Bros Ltd in the UK, ending up as MD of crisis communications and reputation management consultancy, Sentinel 360.[1]

Prior to the 2006 municipal elections, Mackenzie decided to stand as an independent ward councillor candidate in the City of Johannesburg, thinking that he could engage more constructively with the African National Congress as an independent councillor.[1] He had the perception that the Democratic Alliance was a party for only "wealthy white people".[1] After talking to the local DA councillor, John Mendelsohn, and after a tour of one of Johannesburg's more than 180 informal shack settlements, Mackenzie decided to join the party. He served on his ward's committee from 2006 until he was sworn in as a DA PR councillor in 2009.[1]

In the City of Johannesburg Council, MacKenzie served on the Finance, Economic Development, Transport and MPAC Section 79 committees. He was also appointed to the ad hoc committee on the appointment of an Ombudsman for the city of Johannesburg, where he assisted in drafting the by-law which was later passed into law.[4]

Mackenzie became a parliamentary candidate for the party in the 2014 general elections. He appeared 42nd on the DA's national list thus qualifying for a seat in Parliament as the DA retained its status as official opposition.[5] Soon after, he was appointed by Mmusi Maimane as Shadow Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services.[6]

Mackenzie was re-elected to parliament in the 2019 general election and was appointed Shadow Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies by Maimane.[7] He was reappointed to his shadow cabinet role by the newly elected DA leader, John Steenhuisen, in December 2020.[8]

MacKenzie is married to Lisa, and they have two older daughters, Emma and Andrea, and a son, Thorne. On 7 January 2020, Mackenzie was shot during an attempted robbery in Dainfern, Johannesburg.[9] After surgery, MacKenzie has almost fully recovered.[10]