He was remembered as a loyal man who made sacrifices and served his country. Today, former labour minister Membathisi Mdladlana was remembered at a Category 2 Special Official Memorial Service held in Cape Town, where Deputy President Paul Mashatile delivered the eulogy. Mdladlana passed away after a short illness last week, and he was cremated on Wednesday.

COMMITTED

Mashatile delivered the eulogy on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is currently in Russia at the BRICS Summit. Mashatile said it was a little wonder that Mdladlana was drawn to the labour movement from the earliest days of his career. "I stand before you today with a heavy heart to bid farewell to this great politician, teacher, and activist of our time, Membathisi Mphumzi Shepherd Mdladlana, who will be remembered for, among other things, ensuring that the educational system runs effectively. He understood that a thriving economy depends on the well-being of its workers. He fought to ensure that South Africa's workforce received fair treatment and protection under the law," Mashatile said. He added that Mdladlana's passing was a loss for his family, the country, and the democratic movement. "To those among us who have sipped from the well of his wisdom and insight, we extend our gratitude to his family for the grace of sharing him with us through both trials and triumphs," he said.

STANDING

Mashatile also said that Mdladlana working under four presidents of the democratic dispensation revealed a great deal about his character and the faith and regard people had for him. "He hated injustice and took a stand against it wherever he saw it," he added. A colleague and close friend in the group of "The Big Six' as they called themselves, Themba Ngumane said Mdladlane was an unshakeable giant. "I have known this guy for sixty years."Out of the group of six friends, three have died, and Mdladlana is the third. He was the youngest,' he said. His older sister Nomkhululi Matiwane described him as a family man.

LIFE WELL-LIVED

Mdladlane was born in Keiskammahoek, in the Eastern Cape. He became the minister of labour and served in the first administration of South Africa's democratic government. He was appointed as the labour minister in 1994, during Nelson Mandela's Cabinet until 2009. Before this, he was a teacher at Vukukhanye Primary School in Gugulethu. He was also one of the founders of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU). Before his passing, he was serving as South African High Commissioner to Canada.