Thank you Chairperson
On behalf of the Workers Group
We are honoured to pay tribute to Membathisi Shepherd Mdladlana, the founding President of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, a stalwart of the South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, its second Minister of Labour and a former member and Chairperson of the ILO’s Governing Body.
We are saddened by his recent passing, more so as it came days after the passing of his predecessor as Minister of Labour and another illustrious veteran of the ILO, Tito Mboweni. We offer his family, friends and loved ones, our deepest sympathies.
Ambassador Mdladlana led a remarkable life, from the humblest beginnings of the small village of Keiskammahoek in the Eastern Cape Province to the townships of Cape Town. He embraced education as a life long journey. He was a proud teacher and inspirational principal.
He believed fiercely in the rights of workers and the right of all people to live in peace and democracy. During the darkest days of apartheid, he was militant in the struggle for a non-racial, non-sexist South Africa.
In 1994, he was deployed to the 1st democratic Parliament on behalf of COSATU to serve amongst the African National Congress’ first Members of Parliament. In 1998, he was appointed by President Nelson Mandela as the second Minister for Labour, where he served with distinction for 11 years.
He played a key role in strengthening and enforcing the labour laws that today protect the labour rights of millions of workers. He was passionate about the unorganized and vulnerable, in particular domestic workers.
Minister Mdladlana recognised that, workers’ struggles are the same across the world and believed that the ILO has a strategic role to play.
He was not only a member of the Governing Body but also its chairperson between 2006 and 2007
He championed the Global Employment Agenda and the Decent Work Agenda that remains a calling card for labour across the world. His leadership was followed by the 2008 global economic crisis where the world mobilised to save jobs and stimulate growth. He was resolute in support of Social Protection and Sustainable Development. He was proud of Africa and the need to invest in its upliftment.
Whilst Minister Mdladlana was a trade unionist at heart, he transitioned to being a Minister of Labour and a Chair of the GB with ease. He was an Ambassador of social dialogue between government, business and labour, both at home and here in the ILO.
We are proud of this humble son of Africa and workers’ struggles. We are grateful to have shared these journeys with this giant.
I thank you.