Johannesburg – Former education minister, Professor Sibusiso Mandlenkosi Emmanuel Bengu has died.
In a terse statement on Tuesday, (31 December 2024), the former minister’s family said: “Last night Monday, (30 December 2024), Professor Sibusiso Mandlenkosi Emmanuel Bengu passed away peacefully at home, in his sleep”.
The statement added: “We will fondly remember him as a dear husband, father, uncle, grandfather, educator, former Minister of Education, and Ambassador amongst others.
“Funeral arrangements will be communicated in due course. The family would appreciate that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.”
Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Dr. Blade Nzimande said: “My gratitude goes to Professor Sibusiso Bengu for accepting and honouring our government’s request to rename what was previously known as the Historically Disadvantaged Institutions Development Grant to be the Sibusiso Bengu Development Programme in his honour.
“The new name signifies Prof Bengu’s legacy and his contributions towards the Post School Education and Training (PSET) in South Africa, especially his role as the first Minister of Education in a democratic South Africa in 1994.”
Education activist Hendrick Makaneta also paid tribute to Professor Bengu.
“It is with profound sadness and a deep sense of loss that we join the nation in mourning the passing of Professor Sibusiso Bhengu, South Africa’s first Minister of Education and a towering figure in our country’s journey towards equality and transformation in education,” said Makaneta.
“Professor Bhengu will forever be remembered for his unwavering commitment to dismantling the injustices of apartheid education and laying the groundwork for a system rooted in inclusivity, accessibility, and equality.
“Appointed as the inaugural Minister of Education in 1994 under President Nelson Mandela’s leadership, he played a historic role in redefining education policy during one of South Africa’s most critical periods of transformation.”
Professor Bengu was born on 8 May 1934.
