A family statement indicates the late former minister died after a short illness.

Mdladlana served as Labour Minister in former President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet from 1998, taking over from the late Tito Mboweni.

He continued to hold the post into Thabo Mbeki’s administration, Kgalema Motlanthe’s and later in Jacob Zuma’s administration until 2009.

Mdladlana will be best remembered for his energetic role as Labour Minister of the country spanning four Presidents over more than 10 years.

Hailing from the Eastern Cape, Mdladlana was born in May 1952.

He was first elected as a Member of Parliament following the 1994 elections as a member of the African National Congress.

Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has conveyed Ramaphosa’s condolences to Mdladlana’s family and friends and hailed the late minister’s contribution to the country.

“In the year in which we’re marking 30 years of freedom and democracy, Mdladlana’s passing and that of other leaders takes us back in time to the sacrifices and struggles of our past, the hope with which we embarked on building a new society and the hard work it has taken since then to secure the gains we have made,” adds Magwenya

--SABC--