The ANC on Wednesday said it was mourning the passing of its veteran‚ Zola Skweyiya.
He died just a few days shy of his 76th birthday died after a lengthy illness‚ the party said.
“On behalf of the National Executive Committee of the ANC and the entire membership of the movement‚ we pass our heartfelt condolences to his wife‚ Thuthukile Skweyiya and the entire family for their loss. The movement mourns with them as we celebrate the life of this gentle giant of our struggle‚” said party spokesman‚ Pule Mabe.
The ANC detailed Skweyiya’s life saying he joined the ANC in 1956 and went into exile in 1963.
In 1978‚ the ANC deployed him to Germany to study law at the University of Leipzig and later worked for the ANC in various offices‚ assuming responsibility for setting up the ANC office in Addis Ababa‚ Ethiopia.
Between 1982 and 1985 he represented the ANC at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU)‚ before he was recalled to Lusaka to set up the ANC Legal and Constitutional Department there.
He headed this department until 1990 in Zambia‚ and again until 1994 in Johannesburg‚ after his return to South Africa in 1990. On his return‚ he also chaired the ANC Constitution Committee. He served on the National Executive Committee of the ANC until 2012.
Skweyiya played a critical role in the constitutional negotiations‚ not only in The Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) process and committees‚ but also in engaging with ANC structures‚ the legal fraternity and other alliance and civil society formations on the process.
From 1984 to1993‚ he also represented the ANC at the UN Commission for Human Rights. He contributed to the founding of the Centre for Development Studies and the South African Legal Defence Fund‚ both at the University of the Western Cape. He felt strongly about the resolution of the historical injustice‚ and an advocate for the policy of affirmative action.
He became a member of parliament in 1994 and immediately assumed the position of minister of Public Service and Administration.
In 1999 he was appointed as minister of social development‚ a post he held for the next ten years until 2009. In social development‚ he spearheaded the implementation of our social protection system‚ including the child grants and the formation of the South African Social Security Agency.
In 2009‚ he was appointed as High Commissioner of South Africa to the UK and Ireland‚ where he advanced the interest of South Africa and Africa. On his return‚ he remained active in veteran’s structures‚ an outspoken advocate for the renewal and restoration of the integrity and values of the movement he served all his life.
” We mourn the loss of this gentle giant‚ whose life was one of service‚ excellence‚ and love for his people and movement‚” said Mabe.
- TimesLIVE
ANC mourns Zola Skweyiya's passing
He died just a few days shy of his 76th birthday died after a lengthy illness‚ the party said.
“On behalf of the National Executive Committee of the ANC and the entire membership of the movement‚ we pass our heartfelt condolences to his wife‚ Thuthukile Skweyiya and the entire family for their loss. The movement mourns with them as we celebrate the life of this gentle giant of our struggle‚” said party spokesman‚ Pule Mabe.
The ANC detailed Skweyiya’s life saying he joined the ANC in 1956 and went into exile in 1963.
In 1978‚ the ANC deployed him to Germany to study law at the University of Leipzig and later worked for the ANC in various offices‚ assuming responsibility for setting up the ANC office in Addis Ababa‚ Ethiopia.
Between 1982 and 1985 he represented the ANC at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU)‚ before he was recalled to Lusaka to set up the ANC Legal and Constitutional Department there.
He headed this department until 1990 in Zambia‚ and again until 1994 in Johannesburg‚ after his return to South Africa in 1990. On his return‚ he also chaired the ANC Constitution Committee. He served on the National Executive Committee of the ANC until 2012.
Skweyiya played a critical role in the constitutional negotiations‚ not only in The Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) process and committees‚ but also in engaging with ANC structures‚ the legal fraternity and other alliance and civil society formations on the process.
From 1984 to1993‚ he also represented the ANC at the UN Commission for Human Rights. He contributed to the founding of the Centre for Development Studies and the South African Legal Defence Fund‚ both at the University of the Western Cape. He felt strongly about the resolution of the historical injustice‚ and an advocate for the policy of affirmative action.
He became a member of parliament in 1994 and immediately assumed the position of minister of Public Service and Administration.
In 1999 he was appointed as minister of social development‚ a post he held for the next ten years until 2009. In social development‚ he spearheaded the implementation of our social protection system‚ including the child grants and the formation of the South African Social Security Agency.
In 2009‚ he was appointed as High Commissioner of South Africa to the UK and Ireland‚ where he advanced the interest of South Africa and Africa. On his return‚ he remained active in veteran’s structures‚ an outspoken advocate for the renewal and restoration of the integrity and values of the movement he served all his life.
” We mourn the loss of this gentle giant‚ whose life was one of service‚ excellence‚ and love for his people and movement‚” said Mabe.
- TimesLIVE
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