International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, has conveyed her heartfelt condolences to Dr Ben Ngubane’s family, friends and colleagues.
According to news reports, the former KwaZulu-Natal Premier died from COVID-19 complications on Monday morning at Melomed Richards Bay private hospital where he was receiving treatment.
Pandor said Ngubane played a pivotal role in the construction of South Africa’s firm science and technology foundation as the first Minister of Arts, Culture, Science, and Technology in 1994, from which South Africa continues to reap benefits.
“When I became Minister of Science and Technology in 2009, I had the pleasure of benefitting from the solid foundation that Dr Ngubane and my other predecessors had put in place. It made it easy for us to focus on speeding up the implementation of the projects they had started.
“South Africa owes a debt of gratitude to Dr Ngubane for pioneering our science and technology,” Pandor said.
Ngubane was also an ambassador to Japan. He has served on the boards of various children and community-based organisations.
He was also the Chairperson of the Land Bank and served on the Board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
Ngubane joined the Board of Directors of Eskom as a Non-Executive Director in 2014 and was appointed as interim Chairman of the Board of the power utility in 2015.
The Minister said her thoughts and prayers are with the Ngubane family during their time of loss.
“May his soul rest in peace,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
