Latest news with #Mothapo

IOL News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Former Deputy President David Mabuza remembered for dedication to public service
Former deputy president David Mabuza died on Thursday at the age of 64. Image: GCIS The death of former Deputy President David Dabede Mabuza has drawn heartfelt tributes from the highest ranks of South Africa's Parliament. Leading the expression of condolences, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, along with the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, recognised Mabuza's significant contributions to the nation and his unwavering commitment to public service. In a statement issued by Parliament's spokesperson Moloto Mothapo, he said Mabuza played a critical role in fostering better coordination between Parliament and the Executive. "He remained committed to parliamentary accountability, consistently availing himself to answer questions in the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, and engaging in oversight processes with diligence and respect," said Mothapo. Mabuza, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land and Agriculture, he oversaw the implementation of key recommendations made by the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture, appointed in 2018. Mothapo said Mabuza's leadership contributed to the development of crucial policy instruments such as the Land Court Act—which provided for the appointment of full-time judges to adjudicate land-related matters—as well as the Land Beneficiary and Allocation Policy and the Land Donation Policy. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading "Mr Mabuza also held several key public offices throughout his career. As a Member of the Executive Council in Mpumalanga, he was entrusted with portfolios including Education, Housing, Transport, and Agriculture. He also served as a Member of Parliament, further exemplifying his lifelong dedication to public service. The Presiding Officers stated: "We pay homage to former Deputy President Mabuza, an exemplary leader and patriot who dedicated his life to the service of our people. His passing is a profound loss not only to his family and comrades, but to the nation as a whole. "Parliament honours his legacy of humility, service, and commitment to the ideals of our constitutional democracy. May his life's work continue to inspire future generations. Parliament extends its deepest sympathies to his family, friends, the African National Congress, and all those whose lives he touched," they said. Inkatha Freedom Party leader Velenkosini Hlabisa described Mabuza as a leader who dedicated his life to the betterment of others. "From humble beginnings, he rose to occupy one of the highest offices in the land, carrying with him the hopes of many and a profound sense of duty to his country. He served with quiet resolve and a deep commitment to the people of South Africa. "In this time of sorrow, we honour his contribution to our democratic journey and to the cause of justice, dignity, and development for all South Africans. His legacy will live on in the lives he impacted and in the work he undertook with humility and purpose," he said. Hlabisa said the country has lost a leader who was both pragmatic and driven by purpose. "While we may have differed politically, the IFP acknowledges and honours the contribution of former Deputy President Mabuza to our country's democratic cause," said Hlabisa. Herman Mashaba, President of ActionSA remembered Mabuza as a significant figure in South African political life, having served the country in various senior roles, including as Premier of Mpumalanga. "His contributions and influence spanned decades and will leave a lasting mark on our country's democratic journey. While varying reflections on his legacy will no doubt unfold in the days to come, ActionSA simply wishes to extend compassion to his family as they begin this difficult mourning journey. We pray for their strength, peace and comfort during this time of loss, said Mashaba. Leader of Good Party and Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, served alongside Mabuza during the 6th administration when he was deputy president. "He was an exemplary chair of intergovernmental forums, his meetings were marked by punctuality, clarity of purpose, and firm outcomes. I personally admired his respect for time and process, and it is a discipline we can all learn from in public service," said de Lille. SUNDAY TRIBUNE

IOL News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Former Deputy President David Mabuza remembered for dedication to public service
Former deputy president David Mabuza died on Thursday at the age of 64. Image: GCIS The death of former Deputy President David Dabede Mabuza has drawn heartfelt tributes from the highest ranks of South Africa's Parliament. Leading the expression of condolences, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, along with the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, recognised Mabuza's significant contributions to the nation and his unwavering commitment to public service. In a statement issued by Parliament's spokesperson Moloto Mothapo, he said Mabuza played a critical role in fostering better coordination between Parliament and the Executive. "He remained committed to parliamentary accountability, consistently availing himself to answer questions in the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, and engaging in oversight processes with diligence and respect," said Mothapo. Mabuza, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land and Agriculture, he oversaw the implementation of key recommendations made by the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture, appointed in 2018. Mothapo said Mabuza's leadership contributed to the development of crucial policy instruments such as the Land Court Act—which provided for the appointment of full-time judges to adjudicate land-related matters—as well as the Land Beneficiary and Allocation Policy and the Land Donation Policy. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading "Mr Mabuza also held several key public offices throughout his career. As a Member of the Executive Council in Mpumalanga, he was entrusted with portfolios including Education, Housing, Transport, and Agriculture. He also served as a Member of Parliament, further exemplifying his lifelong dedication to public service. The Presiding Officers stated: "We pay homage to former Deputy President Mabuza, an exemplary leader and patriot who dedicated his life to the service of our people. His passing is a profound loss not only to his family and comrades, but to the nation as a whole. "Parliament honours his legacy of humility, service, and commitment to the ideals of our constitutional democracy. May his life's work continue to inspire future generations. Parliament extends its deepest sympathies to his family, friends, the African National Congress, and all those whose lives he touched," they said. Inkatha Freedom Party leader Velenkosini Hlabisa described Mabuza as a leader who dedicated his life to the betterment of others. "From humble beginnings, he rose to occupy one of the highest offices in the land, carrying with him the hopes of many and a profound sense of duty to his country. He served with quiet resolve and a deep commitment to the people of South Africa. "In this time of sorrow, we honour his contribution to our democratic journey and to the cause of justice, dignity, and development for all South Africans. His legacy will live on in the lives he impacted and in the work he undertook with humility and purpose," he said. Hlabisa said the country has lost a leader who was both pragmatic and driven by purpose. "While we may have differed politically, the IFP acknowledges and honours the contribution of former Deputy President Mabuza to our country's democratic cause," said Hlabisa. Herman Mashaba, President of ActionSA remembered Mabuza as a significant figure in South African political life, having served the country in various senior roles, including as Premier of Mpumalanga. "His contributions and influence spanned decades and will leave a lasting mark on our country's democratic journey. While varying reflections on his legacy will no doubt unfold in the days to come, ActionSA simply wishes to extend compassion to his family as they begin this difficult mourning journey. We pray for their strength, peace and comfort during this time of loss, said Mashaba. Leader of Good Party and Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, served alongside Mabuza during the 6th administration when he was deputy president. "He was an exemplary chair of intergovernmental forums, his meetings were marked by punctuality, clarity of purpose, and firm outcomes. I personally admired his respect for time and process, and it is a discipline we can all learn from in public service," said de Lille. SUNDAY TRIBUNE

TimesLIVE
26-06-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
Pretoria PhD graduate creates Sepedi comms tool for disabled children
For many children with communication disabilities, expressing their thoughts, needs and feelings can feel impossible, especially when the tools available are not coded in their language. But one South African scholar made it her mission to change that. Dr Ngwanamaishe Rahab Mothapo, a University of Pretoria PhD graduate, has developed a communication system that allows Sepedi-speaking children with communication impairments to express themselves in their language and on their terms. The non-electronic, picture-based tool is specifically designed for preliterate children who speak Sepedi, a language spoken widely in Limpopo. Her work marks the first culturally rooted augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system of its kind in the country. 'It's really about giving these children a voice,' said Mothapo. 'Enabling them to take part in communication, which is a human right.' Her motivation was deeply personal. Growing up in Polokwane, Limpopo, she had a relative whose son lived with an intellectual disability and struggled to communicate. 'Because we knew our way around him, it was much easier for us to understand him,' she said. It was during this period that she became increasingly aware of a gap in the field. That experience stayed with her and later shaped her career as a speech-language pathologist and audiologist. When she entered the profession, she found that the resources available to support children with communication needs were not only limited, but also culturally foreign. 'Our profession is very Western-centric. The tools we use, the tests, the assessment frameworks are all based on English-speaking children in Western contexts,' she said. 'That is a problem when you are working in Limpopo with Sepedi-speaking children who can't relate to those tools at all.' Her research journey began by developing the 222 most commonly used Sepedi words, which she calls 'core vocabulary' words, which laid the foundation of her PhD. Her doctoral study aimed to create a usable system that children could hold in their hands, and use at home, at school or in clinics and 'feel seen' by using it. Her PhD research, conducted at the university's Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), used a design methodology that places users at the heart of the process. She engaged a range of stakeholders, including teachers, parents, linguists, speech therapists and even adults who had grown up using AAC devices. 'If we don't consider the people who will use the system, their culture, their language, daily lives, then we end up with tools that people abandon,' said Mothapo. 'That is something we see globally with assertive technology. It is not used because it does not resonate.' The picture-based board contains more than 600 items, grouped by how children use language socially and contextually. It includes: Greeting phrases and everyday expressions; A QWERTY keyboard with Sepedi-specific phonemes; Core vocabulary including nouns, pronouns, verbs and adjectives; Fringe vocabulary, tailored to specific settings such as playtime or weddings 'The system is intentionally flexible, allowing children, caregivers and teachers to adjust vocabulary according to the situation, whether a child is at school, in a park, or attending a ceremony,' she said. The board also contains emojis that reflect the reality of children who use it. Her findings highlighted the importance of dialectical variations. 'Polokwane Sepedi is not the same as Sekhukhune Sepedi,' said Mothapo, adding that teachers and therapists must consider these differences when using the system. The final product is now being used by some of the schools and families who took part in the research. Mothapo has also shared the tool with the Limpopo education department and hopes it will soon be rolled out more widely. 'This is not something I'm trying to sell. The aim is not to monetise it,' she said. 'Raising a child with a disability is already expensive. Communication should not be a luxury; it is a basic need.' Her vision reaches beyond Sepedi-speaking children. She hopes her work will serve as a blueprint for other South African languages, particularly those that have been historically marginalised in healthcare and education. 'If this device is going to act as my voice and I'm going to use it to interact with my community, then it must reflect who I am, my culture, my language,' she said. 'Otherwise, it only adds to the isolation.' To future researchers from marginalised backgrounds, Mothapo offers encouragement and a challenge. 'There is a phrase I believe in: 'Nothing about us without us.' We can't keep letting outsiders define our languages and our communities. Don't be afraid to explore new ground, even if there is not much research already done. Be fearless.'