Cape Town – Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, has paid tribute to the late Professor Sibusiso Bengu, South Africa’s first post-apartheid Education Minister, who passed away in December at 90.
Nzimande credited Bengu with enabling him to complete his first university degree by offering financial assistance during his studies at the University of Zululand in 1977.
“September 1977, I had run out of funds to study. I was short of R100. It was a lot of money at the time and Prof Bengu gave me a loan. I paid him back when I started working. When I reflect and think about that maybe that was the beginning of NASFAS. Because there was no NASFAS at that time,” Nzimande said.
Speaking ahead of Bengu’s official funeral at the University of Zululand, Nzimande reflected on the professor’s generosity and emphasised the importance of honouring teachers as part of Bengu’s legacy.
Bengu will be laid to rest in Mtunzini, KwaZulu-Natal, following the category 2 special official funeral.
Watch below, as Nzimande speaks to SABC News
In a statement recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa credited Bengu’s leadership with the development and implementation of the Education Act, a landmark piece of legislation that laid the foundation for equality in education and dismantled the injustices of apartheid-era schooling.
“The Education Act formulated under Prof Bengu’s leadership was a cornerstone of our liberation and unleashed the human potential of all South Africans,” the President noted.
President @CyrilRamaphosa has expressed his deep sadness at the passing of Prof Sibusiso Bengu, the democratic South Africa’s first Minister of Education, who has passed away at the age of 90. https://t.co/Wup13zY0S0
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) January 2, 2025
Bengu also served as South Africa’s ambassador to Germany from 1999 to 2003, further contributing to the nation’s development through diplomacy.
His legacy endures through initiatives such as the Sibusiso Bengu Development Programme, which supports historically disadvantaged higher education institutions.
“Today we are grateful for Prof Bengu’s diverse contributions to our development, which will light our way forward. May his soul rest in peace,” Ramaphosa said.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@DrBladeNzimande
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
