On behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government and the people of Gauteng, Premier David Makhura has extended sincere condolences to the family of the late struggle stalwart, Dr Ruth Mompati.
Mompati, 89, died on Tuesday after a short illness.
“Mme Ruth dedicated her entire life to the struggle and was a champion for the poor. We are saddened by her untimely death, however we are grateful for the contribution she made to help bring about transformation and democracy in South Africa,” said Makhura.
Mompati was born in 1925 in Vryburg, North West. She worked as a teacher until 1952 when she got married and her employment was automatically terminated due to apartheid laws which regulated that black female teachers were not supposed to get married.
Mompati was involved in the Defiance Campaign in 1952, and was a founding member of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) in 1954. She was later one of the leaders of the Women’s March on the 9th August 1956.
In 1990, she was chosen to be part of the ANC delegation that negotiated the peaceful transition with the government at Groote Schuur. In 1994 she was elected to the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa and served as a Member of Parliament from 1994 until 1996 before she was seconded to become an Ambassador to Switzerland until 2000. When her reign as an ambassador ended she returned in the country and became the mayor of Vryburg (Naledi) in North-West.
Makhura said Gauteng and the entire nation was in mourning.
“We are indeed poorer without Mme Ruth,” said Premier Makhura.
For more information contact:
Nino Zama
Cell: 083 473 6725
Tel: 011 355 6009
E-mail: nino.zama@gauteng.gov.za
