Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize is a South African doctor, legislator and politician who served as the Minister of Health from May 2019 until his resignation on Thursday 5 August 2021. In this role, he was prominent in South Africa's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He previously served as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2018 to 2019. He was the 5th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from 2009 to 2013. Mkhize is a member of the African National Congress and was the party's Treasurer-General between 2012 and 2017.