Mdladlana's passing a loss to the nation – Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the death of Membathisi Mdladlana, as a loss to the nation.
Mdladlana died at the age of 72 on Friday, after a short illness.
He served as Labour Minister under four presidents after he was appointed to the position by former President Nelson Mandela in 1998.
He was retained in this role by presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma.
A teacher by training and a former school principal, Mdladlana was one of the first members of Parliament in 1994.
“Membathisi Mdladlana’s passing, is a loss to his family and friends as much as it is to the nation. While we may try to prepare ourselves for the inevitability of such a loss, bereavement is never easy.
We have recently been visited by a succession of departures of veterans of our liberation struggle, and pioneers of the dawn of our democracy,” said Ramaphosa.
He added that Mdladlana “provided leadership in this strategic sector of our struggle at a time of great repression by the state and growing resistance by the people."
Mdladlana is founding member the South African Democratic Teacher Union (SADTU), and is also a former South African ambassador to Canada.
