Prior to this, she had occupied several senior administrative positions in the local and town councils, and played a leading role in numerous community projects.

[5] In 2005, she unsuccessfully contested the position of IFP Deputy National Chairperson, losing to Stanley Dladla.

As second-in-command in the IFP, she was touted as a potential successor to party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi when he decided to step down.

[10] Following the National Freedom Party's success in the 2014 general election, Magwaza-Msibi decided to resign as Mayor of Zululand District Municipality in order to lead the NFP in Parliament.

[1] On 25 May 2014, President Jacob Zuma notified Magwaza-Msibi of his intention to appoint her as Deputy Minister of Science & Technology.

[12] Magwaza-Msibi was not reappointed to the national cabinet and resigned from Parliament in June 2019, citing her intention to rebuild the party.

Magwaza-Msibi died from COVID-19-related cardiac arrest at a hospital in Durban, South Africa on 6 September 2021, at the age of 59.