Statement
The ANC Veterans’ League mourns the passing away of Comrade Membathisi Shepherd Mdladlana - political activist, trade unionist, former Minister and High Commissioner
- 23 October 2024
The Veterans’ League mourns the passing away of Comrade Membathisi Shepherd Mdladlana on Friday 18th October. He was an outstanding trade unionist and founding father of the South African Teachers Union. He was also a model teacher and Principal in Crossroads and Gugulethu in the Western Cape. The teachers of today have an excellent example to follow.
He was elected to serve in the first democratic parliament in 1994 and was appointed by former President Mandela as Minister of Labour in 1998, succeeding comrade Tito Mboweni and taking forward the pioneering work of transformation of labour law in South Africa.
Comrade Madlalana was one of a cohort of trade union leaders who recognised that the relationship between the struggle for worker rights and democracy were interlinked. He brought teachers into the struggle for freedom and then went on, as Minister of Labour, to ensure a single dispensation of worker rights.
His legacy in government was implementing the labour laws passed by the first democratic parliament including ensuring that the inspectorate was restructured and transformed. He also had the responsibility to implement a new skills workplace skills system.
He served as Minister of Labour under all the former Presidents before being appointed as High Commissioner to Canada.
“The Ministers of that era were decisive and risk takers, not scared to push down barriers to reverse the legacy of apartheid”, said Snuki Zikalala, ANC Veterans’ League President.
END//
Issued by Snuki Zikalala,
ANC Veterans’ League President
Mobile: 082 561 3900