Hannah Lidgett

Hannah Lidgett (née Winkler; born 5 November 1985) is a South African politician who has been a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature since 2024 where she represents the Democratic Alliance. She formerly represented the DA in parliament between 2019 and 2024 and served as the party's shadow deputy minister of environment, forestry and fisheries between 2019 and 2020. Quotes I studied Political Science and Philosophy at university, completing an Honours degree in Politics. I realised that academia provided a route into Politics and an opportunity to enter into government to participate in formulating legislation to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in South Africa. I have always felt a deep need to contribute to humanitarian causes. I was involved in community work at university: outreach to victims of xenophobia, as well as student assistance within my department. My ambition has always been to stand as a Public Representative; to this end, I joined the Democratic Alliance (DA) as a Researcher and Media Officer, progressing through various positions, including Ethekwini Group Campaign Manager for the 2019 elections, before being elected as a Member of Parliament. As an MP, we are allocated by our political party to portfolio committees where we perform the role of oversight, drive issues, and contribute to the discourse on legislation and even draft novel legislation. I am a member of the Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries portfolio committee. Performing effective oversight requires in-depth research and knowledge of the mandate of your department, enabling meaningful contribution and effective departmental and ministerial oversight. Engaging and forging relationships with stakeholders outside of government i.e. civil society is tremendously important to ensure that you effectively represent the interests of your constituents through collaboration. Outside of legislative responsibilities, MPs serve as Constituency Heads in their home provinces where we provide political guidance, participate in party work, and keep abreast of our constituents needs by representing their interests in Parliament. I enjoy everything about being an MP, especially the ability to contribute to drafting and amending legislation and to create actual tangible change on the ground. Being elected as an MP is to be given a mandate of leadership on a national platform to speak to and represent millions of South Africans. This is possibly one of the greatest honours to ever receive and I take this mandate very seriously. My ambition for the Sixth Parliament is to put green issues on the parliamentary agenda. I believe that forward-thinking legislation on environmentalism is integral to the flourishing of the human and non-human world. In South Africa, we are privileged with incredible biodiversity which should be safeguarded through policy that speaks to the protection of our natural heritage for its own value, as well as for present and future generations. Fighting for clean air, water, oceans and land are just some of the most salient issues that need to be urgently addressed and given due attention by government. I also believe that moral consideration for sentient beings is a very important issue, as we should be working towards a more compassionate, healed South Africa. By tending to those who are the voiceless and vulnerable, we engender a culture of compassion that I believe will translate into a more caring and considerate society overall. External links Category:Living people Category:Women politicians in South Africa Category:1985 births Category:Women born in the 1980s