Deputy President Paul Mashatile will deliver a eulogy at the funeral service for the country’s first education minister in democratic South Africa, Prof. Sibusiso Bengu, on Friday.

Bengu, who passed away late last month, dedicated his life to education and the public service. He was in charge of navigating the challenges of transforming the education system that consisted of 17 different education departments into a single system.

The funeral will be held at the University of Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal.

Earlier this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Bengu would be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2.

As the first education minister, Bengu played a pivotal role in the transformation of a deeply flawed and unequal education system of the apartheid era. 

“To this day, ordinary South Africans still benefit from the immense contribution of Prof. Bengu through the Education Act, which mainly addresses issues around the transformation of the sector and the provision of developmental and empowerment opportunities for all South Africans,” the Presidency said in a statement on Thursday.

Bengu became the director of student affairs at the University of Zululand in 1977, where he was fully engaged with students and some of South Africa’s best leaders were influenced by him during his time at the university.

Years later, he was appointed as the first Black vice-chancellor of the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape in 1991.

Bengu passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on 30 December.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the late Prof. Sibusiso Bengu, who was democratic South Africa’s first education minister, will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2.

Bengu died on 30 December. He was 90.

Ramaphosa reiterated his deep condolences to the family and friends of Prof. Bengu, who was also South Africa’s ambassador to Germany from 1999 to 2003.

He said on Monday that the funeral would be held at the University of Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.

Proceedings would include ceremonial elements rendered by the South African Police Service.

Ramaphosa has directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast from Tuesday morning until the evening of the funeral.

Tributes continue to pour in for Bengu, who has been celebrated for the crucial role he played in transforming South Africa’s education system.

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