By Dr Zweli Mkhize, MP and South Africa’s Minister of Health.

We are all shattered by the sad news of the tragic and sudden loss of our beloved Dr Thandi Ndlovu. 

Dr Ndlovu was an inspiring entrepreneur, a community developer, a freedom fighter, a friend, a good doctor and a lovely human being. She inspired both business women and men and was always elected to be their leader because of her vision and her courage. 

She was trusted by many of us who still expected her to contribute a lot to the future of our country. She worked hard and achieved many incredible milestones in her career; making us all proud of her as a professional and a businesswoman.

Personally, I had the privilege to work closely with her as a comrade and business person during my tenure as the Treasurer General of the African National Congress; as she occupied leadership positions in various business organizations.

It was fun to watch her in action – she was spectacular! 

 She fought hard for Black business to be given space and be supported; taking up their issues of unfair treatment and unpaid invoices as their spokesperson; confronting inefficient and arrogant beaurocrats; with success.

In the construction sector, Dr Ndlovu was known as the undisputed champion for inclusivity, high quality performance and a fearless opponent for collusion and injustice perpetrated against black contractors. 

She challenged chief executives and chairpersons of boards of the large construction companies and on behalf of Black Business Council got them to concede to a corrective process to address the past injustices; known as Voluntary Rectification Program (VRP). This was a major achievements for the BBC and government to enforce empowerment in the construction sector.

Men and women in the industry respected her as a leader.

For her, being a woman was a source of confidence, strength, authority and decisive leadership – it all came naturally. She was a strategist whose business acumen made her a wise leader who was equally formidable and diplomatic in the board room. These qualities made her ideas prevail.

Sisi Thandi was a powerful force for transformation and economic emancipation!

  South Africa  has lost a leader and we as a nation are all the poorer on such great a loss.

She was a talented golfer,  a generous person who loved people. She was always cheerful with her loud infectious laughter.

She was  a good, humble and a caring soul and always a doctor at heart. 

We shall forever miss her sisterly love and warmth. 

We convey our deepest condolences to her beloved family, and to her friends.  May  they be consoled to know that we share in their grief.

May her soul Rest In eternal Peace!