Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature Honourable Mmabatho Tembe was born and grew up in Durban. She matriculated from Queensburgh Girls’ High School. Tembe graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a degree in Social Sciences majoring in Psychology and Anthropology before she graduated with an Honours degree in Counseling Psychology. She has also earned a certificate in project management from the University of Cape Town.

Honourable Tembe worked as a research assistant to the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology. She then became an Academic Development Advisor at the Health Sciences Department of the university.

In 2014 she joined the DA in Ward 33 and became secretary of the Central Durban constituency where she also served as DAWN and ADAC representative.

Two years later she was elected as eThekwini Metro councillor and served on both the eThekwini Economic Development and Community Services committees and as a Whip for two terms.

On 7 December 2021, Tembe was sworn in as a DA Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature where she served as a member of the Social Development Portfolio Committee, Quality of life Standing Committee and DA KZN Legislature Caucus Spokesperson.

Following the 2024 Provincial and General elections she was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature making her one of the youngest people to be elected to the Speaker’s office in the country. She is currently the Democratic Alliance KwaZulu-Natal Caucus Chairperson.

She heads the Ethics, Privileges and Contempt (Kwazulu-Natal-Provincial-Legislature-Committee); a member of Women’s Caucus Committee and Programmes Committee.