Formerly a student activist at Turfloop, Nkadimeng began her career as a public servant and entered professional politics in July 2014 as Mayor of Polokwane.
[2][4] In 1997, Simelane began her career in post-apartheid public administration, and over the next decade she held positions in four different government departments, notably as director of communications in the Office of the Limpopo Premier from 2002 to 2006.
[5] Alongside her full-time career, she held leadership positions in local branches of the African National Congress (ANC) and its Women's League in Polokwane, Limpopo.
[2] In addition, she obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy in policy studies at Stellenbosch University in 2001 and completed the advanced management programme at the Wits Business School in 2009.
She twice stood unsuccessfully for election as regional chairperson of the ANC's Peter Mokaba branch in Capricorn District, losing to Motalane Monakedi in October 2014 and to John Mpe in July 2018.
[7][8][9] On the latter occasion, she faced death threats during her campaign,[10] and her defeat led to a formal request by Mpe's leadership corps for Nkadimeng's removal from the mayoral office.
[22] In the aftermath of the 55th National Conference, Nkadimeng succeeded Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in a cabinet reshuffle on 6 March 2023.
[31] Meanwhile, her ministry authorised states of disaster in multiple provinces after extreme weather events,[32][33] and Nkadimeng was involved in negotiations with the South African Municipal Workers' Union over a strike in Matjhabeng.
[35] On 30 June, President Ramaphosa announced her appointment to his third cabinet as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development,[36] with Andries Nel (a fellow ANC MP) as her deputy.
[43] It emerged during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that Simelane had been arrested in Johannesburg and taken to Vlakplaas, where she was tortured extensively by members of the Security Branch.
Assisted by the Southern African Litigation Centre, Nkadimeng and her family led a sustained campaign of activism on behalf of Simelane and other victims of apartheid-era crimes, seeking an inquest and related criminal prosecutions.