The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa has passed on.
Molewa, 61, passed away at a Pretoria hospital after a short illness.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a period of mourning with immediate effect and has also ordered that the National Flag be flown at halfmast at all flag stations countrywide and at South African diplomatic missions abroad.
“This is a devastating loss to our nation and to the global community, who owe a great debt of gratitude to the late Minister Molewa for her championship nationally and globally for the environmental integrity of a sustainable planet Earth that can be shared and enjoyed by all nations and all people, rich and poor”.
Molewa was the Premier of the North West between 2004 and 2009.
She was thereafter appointed Social Development Minister between 2009 and 2010.
She was appointed as Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs in 2010 before the two portfolios were split after the 2014 general elections.
President Ramaphosa is due to visit the Molewa family.
