KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize has paid condolences to the bereaved family of the late Minister of Public Service and Administration Mr Roy Padayachie in Marrianhill this weekend describing him as a leader, a community activist and struggle stalwart.
“He was an exemplary leader who served his people with dedication. The issue of community development was always on top of his agenda in the national parliament where he served as an MP, a Deputy Minister and lately as a Minister. He was a trusted community leader who served as a crucial link between various communities and government.”
“Over the past two years, Roy Padayachie has been working with the provincial government, together with a number of community organisations, unveiling memorial plagues across the province as part of our celebration of the arrival of Indians in the country.”
“Roy served the Natal Indian Congress with distinction. The NIC was an effective instrument that mobilized Indian workers to strike in the sugar-cane plantations, coal mines and factories. These strikes weakened the apartheid machinery.”
“He is one of the struggle stalwarts that we will continue to celebrate for his personal sacrifice and tremendous contribution towards the struggle for a free, non-racial and non-sexist society.”
“His name will go hand-in-hand with those of Moses Kotane, Lenny Naidu, Johnny Makhathini, Dr Monty Naicker, Solomon Mahlangu, Dr Yusuf Dadoo, Chris Hani and many others heroes and heroines whose leadership, spirit and values are at the core of our modern democratic revolution.”
“As the newly appointed Minister for Public Service and Administration, Roy put in place a turn-around strategy to ensure that all government departments adhered to the principle of fairness, honesty, integrity and humble service to the people.”
“He reminded all of us that the country’s constitution guarantees human rights for all, the right to a minimum standard of life, including the right to access health, education, social security, food and water.”
“He showed determination to eradicate corruption in the civil service and he will forever be credited for his contribution towards good governance. He advocated for the development of a new cadre of civil servants who regard their positions in government as a privilege to serve.”
“His death comes at the time when the country celebrates Workers Month. Roy had already started processes of strengthening the social dialogue in the country and regarded organised labour as an important player. He was committed to bringing together all stakeholders for discussion around a common agenda, that of securing a brighter and prosperous future for the workers of this country.”
“He believed that better living and working conditions for workers are not a favour but a constitutional right which the democratic government has to uphold at all times”
“As we all aware, Roy was unarguably behind the transformation of the Information, Communications and Technology industry in the country. He championed the development of community radio broadcasting, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, giving marginalised communities a voice to articulate their views and aspirations.”
“Before South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994, the apartheid government won global notoriety for controlling the airwaves and harassing anyone who sought to provide a different view using the state-owned broadcaster.”
“Under the leadership of Roy as the Minister of Communications, he ensured – through Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the diversity of views in the media by granting broadcasting licenses to independent commercial radio stations as well as public and community radio stations. Some of these stations cater for languages that were previously marginalised.”
“As a veteran of the struggle for independence, he recognised community radio stations as one of the best ways to reach marginalised communities because they bridge the information gap between the literate and the illiterate. He believed in putting decision making in the hands of the local community using community radio stations as vehicles. This translocation of power enables communities to express their own ideas and opinions. Individual community members are able to define developmental goals and collaborate to attain them.”
“Before his redeployment from Communications Ministry, there were already more than 130 community radio stations broadcasting to communities in rural, semi-urban and urban areas across the country with KwaZulu-Natal boasting more than 15. We salute him for achieving this major milestone.”
“Stakeholders in the ICT industry will remember Roy for his passion and energy which resulted in the implementation of sound policies aroundDigital Terrestrial Television and broadband. As a result of his dedication and guidance, KZN latched onto the benefits that broadband offers and spearheaded the formulation of a provincial Broadband Strategy and Action Plan in 2006.”
“We became the first province to develop a comprehensive broadband strategy that caters for 10 million people over an area of 92 000 square kilometres covering 11 districts and 62 municipalities – thanks to Minister Roy Padayachie. He chose KwaZulu-Natal for the pilot broadband project ahead of the commencement of the rollout of the nationwide broadband network.”
“Importantly, Roy assisted the provincial government in our quest to eradicate the digital divide by supporting our own ICT for Rural development programme in the form of its Digital Community Hub projects. This project sees the provision of ICT access for the inhabitants of rural areas. Through this project those living in rural areas are given access to appropriate hardware, and software to extract all the advantages that ICT provides.
“To date this province, has established 12 digital community hubs in the areas of Maphumulo, Mandini, Ezakheni, Umzumbe, Chesterville, KwaMashu, Hammarsdale, Ezakheni, Edendale and Chatsworth.These digital community hubs are run by new ICT SMMEs. This intervention, while providing ICT access to previously disadvantaged communities, it also provides an opportunity for members of these communities to have their own ICT businesses, thus promoting rural ICT industry development.”
“We are highlighting these just to contextualise the important role that Roy Padayachie played in our country and KZN in particular.”
“The only fitting tribute we can pay to Roy Padayachie is that we must continue work hard to bridge the digital divide. This government inherited a system which stills shows unbelievable imbalances in access to telecommunication services. We are running a risk of opening up a huge gap between information haves and have not. Access to telecommunication and broadcasting services is not only for the personal development but it is a tool for economic development.”
“Roy will surely be missed by many people because of various leadership roles that he occupied. He operated underground, unleashing tactics that frustrated the apartheid government. It came as no surprise when he was nominated to serve in the Release Mandela Committee.”
“He was a hard worker, a strategic thinker, humble and had some much love for the people.”
“I have known him at personal and family levels. He was a trusted comrade with whom we shared many ideas of how to take the struggle forward. On behalf of the Provincial Government, I want to express our deepest sympathy to the Padayachie family. You are in our prayers during this difficult period.”
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya, Spokesperson for the Premier
Cell: 082 375 4742
Regi Khumalo, Media Liaison Desk for the Premier
Cell: 079 751 6108
