[1] She represented the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and Executive Council prior to 2009, including as MEC for Arts, Culture and Tourism under Premier Sbu Ndebele.
[5] She retained the social development portfolio for the next eight years, through the rest of Mkhize's premiership and throughout the tenure of his successors, Senzo Mchunu and Willies Mchunu; she was re-elected to her legislative seat in the 2014 general election, ranked 12th on the ANC's provincial party list.
[6][1] In the 2019 general election, Thusi was re-elected to the provincial legislature, ranked 26th on the ANC's party list,[6] but newly elected Premier Sihle Zikalala appointed Nonhlanhla Khoza to succeed her in the Executive Council.
[7] Less than three months into the legislative term, the ANC announced that Thusi would leave the provincial legislature to join the eThekweni Metropolitan Municipality as a local councillor and the ANC's candidate for Speaker of the eThekweni council.
[8] She later said that she had intended to resign from politics in 2019 but had felt obliged to represent the ANC in eThekweni when asked by the party.