Former minister Membathisi Mdladlana has died – reports

Former labour minister Membathisi Mdladlana has reportedly died

He was 72 years old.

Family spokesperson Mayibuye Sokupe told EWN that Mdladlana died at his Cape Town home earlier in the day after struggles breathing.

“[He had] no illness to mention, it was old age. He had problems with breathing here and there.

“He passed away early this morning after having his breakfast while watching TV but he was not sick.

“It was a short illness, he complained about breathing and that was it.”

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) General Secretary Irvin Jim hailed Mdladlana’s legacy and impact.

“He really served the working class with flying colours. As metal workers, we lower our banners.”

A minister for over a decade

Mdladlana headed up the Labour Ministry from July 1998 to 2009 and has since served as the South African high commissioner to Canada.

Before that, he served as a chairperson of Parliament’s Constitutional Assembly Committee from 1994 to 1996, a member of the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee from 1994 to 1998, and a member of the National Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education from 1994 to 1998.

He was Whip of the Parliamentary Programming Committee from 1995 to 1998.

Sparking debate and backlash

He made headlines in 2008 when he was accused of racism following his comments on a court judgement that recognised Chinese South Africans as black.

A year later he again battled off criticism after he reportedly compared labour brokers to ”human traffickers”.

This is a developing story