He started his schooling career at Msombovu Primary School and proceeded to Tlakula Secondary School, in KwaThema, after which he completed his BTech in costing and accounting management at Tshwane University of Technology.
Dlabathi says his background was not an easy one, especially because he was orphaned at an early age in his life, but, with the assistance of relatives and ordinary community members, he is now where he is today.
“It is the ordinary people who supported me and contributed to my livelihood and who shaped me into the leader I am today,” he says.
It was in varsity that his leadership potential was unleashed. He started volunteering in an HIV/Aids organisation and, through his committed work, he was later elected as the chairperson of his student residence.
“While serving as the chairperson of res I learnt how to listen to people, attend to problems, find solutions, account to people and ultimately lead others,” he explains.
“I strongly believe that one should be humble at all times and make an impact in whatever one does”.
Before he shifted his interest to politics he worked for the Auditor General of South Africa for a year, City of Joburg, as a senior auditor and at Prasa, as senior procurement manager for three years, before he was employed as a strategic adviser to the MMC of Finance in the City of Ekurhuleni, until his election as chief whip.
Throughout his career, Dlabathi was also slowly aligning himself with local politics, serving as branch secretary of the South African Students Congress Organisation for two terms, becoming actively involved in the ANC Youth League in 2007 and joining the Ward 78 executive committee in 2009.
In 2010 he became a member of the ANC Regional League, serving as the branch secretary, and, in 2014, he joined the Regional Executive Committee.
He says he is ready for the tasks ahead as the chief whip of council, thanks to his professional background and his political experience.
“I have a plan with focus areas, to make sure that basic services continue to be available for the people, that the housing backlog is attended to and that the metro also gets a university,” he says.
“More than anything, I’m conscious of our people who are still struggling and the fact that, as a leader, I need to contribute to the lives of others.”
