Eastern Cape govt pays tribute to Mluleki George

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has described Mluleki George as a “dynamic community and political activist” who was driven to help people access opportunities to “transform their lives”.

The former SA Rugby vice-president and founding member of political party Cope died of Covid-19 this week.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mabuyane said: “We send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, relatives, colleagues, members of his political party, the Congress of the People, his colleagues in the sport clubs he was involved in, his former colleagues in the national government, Parliament and the members of his church, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.”

The former deputy defence minister who was one of the founders of the United Democratic Front, died at the age of 72.

“We also send our heartfelt condolences to his old comrades and friends in the ANC, people who worked with him for a better part of his adult life.

“Mr George was a dynamic community and political activist whose interests to see the people of his community, the people of his province and South Africans access opportunities to develop and transform their lives, inspired his involvement in sport, politics, the church and in government,” Mabuyane said.

Mabuyane added that George played an active role in fighting apartheid as a member of the ANC, drove community development through sport, and that he had an active role in the church and later represented “our people in Parliament as an elected representative”.

“We thank him for his service to the people of our country and for his commitment to creating a better life for all our people,” Mabuyane said.

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