Foreign Affairs and Minister for Social Development during the memorial service
of the late Ambassador Timothy Karikari Maseko
10 January 2007
Programme Director,
Members of the Maseko Family,
Colleagues,
Comrades,
Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Although this is indeed for all of us a very sad occasion, we are not only
here to bid farewell to our dear friend, colleague and a comrade, Tim, but also
to celebrate a life well lived and an astonishing service he gave to his
country.
Timothy Maseko significantly contributed to the establishment of a new
democratic South Africa. Like many of his friends, colleagues and comrades, he
made a lot of sacrifices to achieve the freedom and democracy enjoyed in the
country which some people take for granted. We have lost a great man and a true
compatriot who devoted his entire life to his country and its citizens.
On behalf of President Thabo Mbeki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the entire Department of Foreign Affairs and
Government, we wish to convey our sincere condolences to the family and friends
of Timothy.
Timothy was selfless and active in serving his country until his last days
of his life. When he left Windhoek on 13 December 2006 until his untimely death
on 31 December 2006, he was already not well, but made it a point that he left
a well functioning High Commission in Namibia as mandated by our government.
His commitment to the cause and to South Africa was absolute. Regardless of his
ill-health, he fully executed his responsibilities as our representative in
Namibia, by receiving President Thabo Mbeki in Windhoek in November 2006 and
played a pivotal role in ensuring that the President�s visit was a success it
was.
Timothy worked hard to achieve his goals in life. He studied hard and
through sheer determination and effort, obtained a BSc Degree at the University
of Rhodes in 1961. An MSc at University of South Africa (Unisa) soon followed.
He never rested and in 1999, when he was already well advanced in years,
obtained a Diploma in Local Government through Damelin College in
Johannesburg.
His career with the Department of Foreign Affairs speaks volume of absolute
dedication. To prepare for this task, he attended the Babelsberg Foreign
Relations Institute, in Germany in 1989 and in 1993, attended a course in
Diplomatic Training at Clingendael Foreign Relations Institute in The Hague,
Netherlands. Still not satisfied, he continued his diplomatic training in the
same year at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Relations and Co-operation. In
1994, he completed a Special Diplomatic Course at the Department of Foreign
Affairs in Pretoria.
During this time, he was also the African National Congress�s (ANC�s)
Permanent Representative in Denmark. From 1978 to 1989 he was a Permanent
member of the ANC Education Council abroad and from 1980 to 1985, was the
Director of the ANC�s Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College in Mazimbu, Tanzania. He
managed the college with dedication and contributed significantly to the crop
of our young leaders who now hold important positions across the three tiers of
our government and in private sector.
Timothy Karikari Maseko joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1994. In
February 1995, he was appointed by former President Mandela as the South
African Ambassador to Bulgaria and also non-resident Ambassador to Yugoslavia
and non-resident Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In October 1998, he became High Commissioner to Ghana and in December 2000
Ambassador to Chile. In August 2004, Timothy was appointed High Commissioner to
Namibia, which was to be his last assignment.
We celebrate a dedicated life of Timothy expressed by his family, a life
that has reverberated throughout the government�s Public Service, a life
dedicated to his people, a life dedicated to South Africa.
As we have witnessed, Timothy was ever active and also attended various
international conferences and seminars in Germany, Holland, Senegal, Cuba,
Mozambique, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, etc. In 1981, he attended the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) General
Assembly in Geneva and in 1986 visited some United States of America (USA)
universities. From 1981 until 1988, he attended the Annual United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) meetings in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and in 1994
attended the briefing meetings of the TEC Sub-Council on Foreign Affairs in
Paris and Brussels.
What greater sacrifice can a man make than serving his country � in far-away
places, away from his family and friends cannot be equated to anything except
selflessness. We must therefore thank you � his family and friends � for
lending us Timothy Maseko, and allowing us to use him to promote South Africa�s
interests. But not only that, the privilege to have known him as a friend and
colleague; to have learnt from him; to have absorbed his wisdom, which he
acquired over the years. His passing away will leave a void in our hearts.
South Africa has lost a great son.
Timothy Maseko will not be forgotten. Death has robbed his children and
grand- children, comrades, friends and colleagues of a selfless, dedicated and
humble father and leader. He will live in the hearts of all the many people he
has come into contact with during his lifetime.
To the Maseko family, relatives and friends, we are aware that Timothy was
dear to you all and nothing will replace him, we have no doubt in our minds
that you will find solace in his dedicated contribution to a better South
Africa for All. We believe that Timothy died a happy man as he lived to see a
liberated and democratic South Africa to which he dedicated his entire
life.
May his soul rest in peace!
Hamba kahle qhawe!
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
10 January 2007
