Born on 8 September 1973 in South Africa, Nyhontso's early life and education are not widely documented. However, his leadership in the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has made him a notable figure in South African politics.

Nyhontso became the PAC leader in December 2018, though his tenure has been marked by internal disputes and factional conflict, particularly with Narius Moloto, who claimed leadership through a separate elective congress. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) recognized Nyhontso as the legitimate leader, despite continued opposition.

In May 2019, he was elected to the National Assembly as the PAC’s sole Member of Parliament and served on multiple committees, including Defence, Higher Education, Environment, Mineral Resources, and Energy. His leadership remained contested, leading to legal battles and leadership challenges.

His parliamentary membership was suspended in November 2020 following disputes with Moloto’s faction. Nyhontso successfully challenged his removal, leading to his reinstatement in December 2020. However, his membership was set aside again in May 2021, and legal battles continued. Finally, the North Gauteng High Court ruled in August 2021 that Nyhontso was the legitimate PAC leader, enabling him to reclaim his parliamentary seat on 2 September 2021.

On 30 June 2024, Nyhontso was appointed Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, marking a significant step in his political career and giving him an influential role in South Africa’s land reform policies (MyNewsroom, 2024).

Mathabatha served as Premier of Limpopo Province from 18 July 2013 to June 2024. He was also the Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo, playing a key role in provincial governance and party leadership, now the Deputy Minister for Land Reform and Rural Development.

He holds a BA Degree from the University of the Western Cape and a Master’s Degree in Development (MDev) from the University of Limpopo. He also completed an Executive Management Development Programme at Harvard University in 2003.

His political journey began early joining the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1977, following the Soweto Uprising. Throughout the 1980s, he became a key leader within the United Democratic Front (UDF) and was part of the feared and respected Young Lions of the North. After the unbanning of political parties in 1990, he played a crucial role in rebuilding ANC structures and became Treasurer of the Northern Transvaal Region in 1992.

Post 1994, Mathabatha was instrumental in integrating the Bantustans of Lebowa, Venda, Gazankulu and the Transvaal Provincial Administration (TPA) into a unified Northern Province Provincial Administration (later Limpopo). His expertise in public administration and enterprise development led to his appointment as Chief Operations Officer of LimDev in 2003. He later became Managing Director of LimDev (2005–2010) and contributed to economic development and transformation in Limpopo.

In 2012, he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Africa to Ukraine, also serving as a non-resident Ambassador to Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova (Www.gov.za, 2024).