South Africa’s first education minister in democratic South Africa, Prof. Sibusiso Bengu, has died. He was 90.

According to a statement issued by his family on Tuesday, Bengu passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on Monday.

“We will fondly remember him as a dear husband, father, uncle, grandfather, an educator, former Minister of Education and Ambassador amongst others,” his family said.

Bengu, who was born in Kranskop in May 1934, dedicated his life to education and the public service. He began his career as a teacher in 1952, and 17 years later he founded the Dlangezwa High School in what was then known as Natal. He was the principal until 1976.

After completing a PHD in Political Science at the University of Geneva, Bengu was appointed as a professor at the University of Zululand in 1977. Four years later he became the first black Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare.

From 1994 to 1997, Bengu served as education minister under Nelson Mandela.

While his first political home was the Inkatha Freedom Party, where he was the secretary-general, ideological differences between him and the late IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi that the party should become a democratic, mass-based organisation, led to his departure.

He later aligned with the African National Congress, becoming a trusted ally of Oliver Tambo.

The former government minister introduced Curriculum 2005, a proposal for transforming the approach of school education in South Africa.

But the plan was received negatively and criticised by teachers as well as opposition parties, which led to it being reviewed.

After the 1999 election, Bengu was named the ambassador to Germany, a position he served until his retirement from politics in 2003.

He received an honorary degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2009.

Bengu’s family said that funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course and asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time.

He is survived by his wife Funeka, four daughters and a son.

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