The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) said in a statement, the late Membathisi Mdladlana, led a long life and made enormous contributions to the liberation struggle and building a democratic, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa.
“In 1998 when Minister Tito Mboweni was appointed to the South African Reserve Bank, cde. Mdladlana was deployed to be the second Minister for Labour, a position he embraced with enthusiasm and nervousness. He took the baton from comrade Mboweni who had led the crafting of our progressive labour laws, and accelerated the Department’s efforts towards their implementation. Minister Mdladlana worked closely with Organised Labour and Business at Nedlac to nurture labour market stability.”
He died at the age of 72, at his home in Cape Town.
COSATU also said he was a person of remarkable energy and passion. He channelled these strengths into building a formidable liberation movement in the Cape, playing key roles in the ANC and SACP, the United Democratic Front, and the teachers’ union.
Moloto Mothapo, said about him, in a statement released by Parliament, “throughout his exceptional career, Mdladlana held several positions, each marked by his leadership and unwavering resolve to serve the nation: Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly Committee, Member of the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee, Whip of the Parliamentary Programming Committee, Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Scout Union of South Africa, Minister of Labour (1998 – 2009), Ambassador to Burundi and High Commissioner to Canada.
Picture: Andrew Swarts, African Equity Empowerment