Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, the Minister of Communications in the Republic of South Africa, Has Died at 71

MASTEPE-CASABURRI DIES

Minister of Communications Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has died of
natural causes on Monday night, the Presidency said.

Presidential spokesman Thabo Masebe said on Tuesday
Matsepe-Casaburri, whose health hasn't been well in the last couple
of months, died at a Pretoria hospital. She was 71-years-old.

"She was admitted in hospital about three weeks ago, she hasn't
been at work for a long time because of her health," said Masebe

Expressing his condolences to her family and friends , President
Kgalema Motlanthe said Matsepe-Casaburri was "an outstanding leader and servant of the people of South Africa".

"In her various leadership capacities and responsibilities, she
has served the country with distinction, honour and selflessness,
"Motlanthe in a statement.

"With her incisive intellect she has made an invaluable
contribution to the development of policy in various fields
including Information and Communication Technology.

"On behalf of the government and the people of South Africa and,
indeed on my own behalf, I express heartfelt condolences to the
family and friends of Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri," he said.

She was born in Kroonstad in the Orange Free State on September
18, 1937.

Among others positions, Matsepe-Casaburri was the first woman
to be appointed to the board of the CSIR; the first black person
and woman to become chairperson of SENTECH; the first female and black chairperson of the board of the South African Broadcasting
Corporation from 1993 1997.

She was also the first female premier, as premier of the Free
State from 1997 to 1999. In 1999 she became a member of Parliament and minister of communications.

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