Ramaphosa describes the late Mdladlana as a leadership pioneer

Former labour minister Membathisi Mdladlana has 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 struggling to breathe.

“[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.”

‘Loss to the nation’

President Cyril Ramaphosa said Mdladlana’s death was a loss to his family and friends and the nation.

“We have recently been visited by a succession of departures of veterans of our liberation struggle and pioneers of the dawn of our democracy,” the president said.

Ramaphosa said Mdladlana was one of these pioneers who provided leadership in the education sector of the struggle at a time of great repression by the state and growing resistance by the people.

“In the year in which we are marking 30 years of freedom and democracy, Shepherd Mdladlana’s passing and that of other leaders takes us back in time to the sacrifices and struggles of our past, the hope with which we embarked on building a new society and the hard work it has taken since then to secure the gains we have made,” he said.

“Shepherd Mdladlana will live on in our hearts and our history. May his soul rest in peace.”

Mdladlana’s ‘impact was profound’

The Democratic Alliance said Mdladlana’s contributions to the development of South Africa’s Constitution and service in government during the infant stages of democracy will be remembered.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation called him an important figure in building the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and advocating for the rights of educators.

“From being a teacher to shaping labour policy from July 1998-2009. His impact was profound.”

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 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