Ndobe praised for his love for education

Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has echoed the sentiments of the late deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal deputy speaker Mluleki Ndobe about his value for education.

Police say he committed suicide on Friday last week. Ndobe had been diagnosed with cancer.

Dlamini-Zuma says Ndobe was a person who understood the importance of education. She was speaking at Ndobe’s funeral service in Umzimkhulu in the southern part of KwaZulu-Natal.

“In an unequal society like ours, education is the fastest equalizer. I’m glad his children are saying one of the things that they take up is education. But it should not be only his children all of us, young people, parents, must make sure that children love education. That children get a chance towards education. That children get skills that they will use to develop, drive the economy of this country and build this country.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa had accorded him an official provincial funeral Category 2. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, ANC NEC member Zizi Kodwa and leaders of opposition parties in the province are among the mourners. Premier Sihle Zikalala is expected to deliver a eulogy.

The children of Ndobe praised him for being a good father during his funeral service. Mawande Ndobe says his father loved education and as his children they will honour him by studying to achieve the doctorate degree that their father wanted. Ndobe junior also says their father taught them to respect all people regardless of their status in society.

“He taught us respect and to value people regardless of their status within the community, our father raised us very well, he never taught us hatred but he taught us that even if a person can wrong you but don’t reiterate, to honour as his kids I think we need to further our education as he loved it dearly, he was studying towards obtaining his doctorate, I am currently doing my Advanced Diploma in Taxation at DUT I think I will have to push until I get that title that our father wanted.”