National
SA politician Zola Skweyiya dies─── 08:30 Wed, 11 Apr 2018
South African politician Zola Skweyiya has passed away on Wednesday morning.
The 75-year-old died while in hospital after a short illness.
Skweyiya served as Minister of Public Service and Administration in former president Nelson Mandela’s Cabinet and then as Minister of Social Development during Thabo Mbeki’s administration.
The well-known politician stayed on, despite Mbeki’s recall and subsequent resignation, when then-acting president Kgalema Motlanthe took office.
He was also a fierce critic of former president Jacob Zuma.
The veteran politician also served on the African National Congress (ANC)’s highest decision-making body, the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Skweyiya retired as a parliamentarian after the 2009 general elections, citing health reasons.
It is claimed he tried to retire as early as 2004, but was persuaded to stay on in Cabinet.
After leaving Parliament, Skweyiya entered the diplomatic world with his last post being South Africa’s High Commissioner to London.
