DA saddened by the death of Ronnie Mamoepa

The Democratic Alliance has added its voice to those paying tribute to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa, who died at the age of 56 in a Pretoria hospital late on Saturday night.

“The DA wishes to extend its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Ronnie Mamoepa. We join them in mourning their loss and wish them strength during this difficult time,” DA national spokesperson Refiloe Nt’sekhe said on Sunday.

As a former political prisoner, Mamoepa had made an immense contribution to the liberation of South Africa and the birth of democracy. The DA also remain grateful for his commendable work as a public servant. He was the personification of excellence.

“It is now left on us to ensure that his legacy lives on and we build on the vision of a democratic and prosperous South Africa that he sacrificed so much for,” Nt’sekhe said.

Earlier, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor – who worked closely with Mamoepa during her time as home affairs minister – expressed shock and sadness at his death and conveyed her condolences to Mamoepa’s wife, family, friends, and colleagues.

“I fondly remember Ronnie as a very capable and professional head of communications at home affairs department; we worked closely together drawing on his ideas for broadening communications and serving the public,” she said.
“His stories of life as an activist and his experience as a cadre in prison kept us entranced for hours; we dip our heads in sadness at this loss of another great South African. May his soul rest in peace,” Pandor said.

Early on Sunday morning, Mamoepa familiy spokesman Groovin Nchabeleng said it was with profound sadness that the Mamoepa family announced the death of their beloved son Ronnie Mamoepa.

“Ronnie passed on in the late evening [Saturday] at a hospital in Pretoria after battling complications arising from a stroke he suffered last month. He was receiving the highest medical care.

“Ronnie Mamoepa is an icon of the country’s liberation struggle having served five years of his youth in incarceration at the infamous Robben Island prison in Cape Town,” he said.

“At the attainment of liberation in 1994, Ronnie joined government and served his country with distinction as a communications practitioner. His extensive experience included African National Congress communications and various communications roles in government, notably the presidency, the department of foreign affairs, and the department of home affairs. Details of funeral arrangements will be released in due course,” Nchabeleng said.

Ramaphosa and President Jacob Zuma both also expressed sadness at Mamoepa’s death and conveyed their sincere condolences to Mamoepa’s immediate and extended family, comrades, friends, and colleagues.

“This is a great loss to me personally, to the presidency, and government at large,” Ramaphosa said. “However, our thoughts are firstly and foremost with Ronnie’s wife, Audrey, his children, and his siblings. I offer my sincere condolences to Ronnie’s relatives, friends, comrades, and colleagues who have suffered the loss of someone who was much loved and respected across our country and beyond.  We shall miss him greatly,” he said.