The Rynpark Six resident passed away on July 15, after being diagnosed with leukemia two months ago.
Her husband of over 28 years, Clive Webber, said his loving wife left behind a legacy in the teaching fraternity and managed to leave persons from all walks of life with a sense of dignity.
Margaret was born in Johannesburg and attended Florida High School. After matriculating, she read for a BSc degree at the University of the Witwatersrand.
After obtaining her honours degree and while working at her alma mater, she studied toward a higher diploma in education.
Later in her career, Margaret moved to the Johannesburg College of Education, where she met her future husband, Clive. Both were lecturers at the institution.
Margaret started lecturing in the biology department before she was promoted to oversee the teaching administration and organisation of the college.
She then progressed to the post of vice-rector of the college.
The passionate educator left the college in the early nineties to take up the position of superintendent of education at the then Transvaal Education Department.
When the ANC government came into power in 1994, the department was disbanded.
Margaret applied for a post in the newly-formed Gauteng Department of Education, where she was appointed as Springs’ district director.
Clive keenly recalled his wife’s first day on the job when she was honoured to meet the newly-elected president, Nelson Mandela.
The former president visited KwaThema, and personally thanked Margaret for her work.
“He spoke to her and thanked her,” said Clive.
“He went out of his way to thank the whites; he thanked them for being part of the new government.”
Margaret later took up the post as the senior director of education for the Ekurhuleni East District.
She was then promoted to chief director of education at the Gauteng Department of Education, where she later retired in 2008.
Before her retirement, she was in charge of all Gauteng schools’ facilities.
In those last two years, 23 new schools were built.
Margaret was instrumental in ensuring former black schools received upgraded facilities such as sports fields, administration blocks and staff rooms.
She worked with an architect, a professor from the University of the Witwatersrand, to realise these improved facilities.
Clive said Margaret was immensely passionate about education.
“She was passionate about education,” he said.
“It was not a job, it was a calling. You couldn’t get teaching out of her, that would be impossible.”
He said her contribution to education was noted by the minister of basic education, Angie Motshekga.
The minister held a farewell function for Margaret after her retirement.
Motshekga also attended the funeral service held at the Northfield Methodist Church on July 22.
Clive said Margaret was passionate about giving disadvantaged people dignity.
She did this by communicating with people from all walks of life, lifting their spirits and bringing them up to her level.
Margaret was one of the founders of Reading Gogos, an organisation that still teaches literacy in disadvantaged areas today. She was also a board member of the Methodist Church of South Africa’s centre, where pastors are trained.
Clive and Margaret did not have children together.
