The Nelson Mandela Foundation has learned with great sadness of the passing of Ronnie Mamoepa.
His association with Nelson Mandela goes back many years to when they first met on Robben Island. Mamoepa was one of the new arrivals of young prisoners in 1980 when they encountered Mandela and his comrades, who had been there for 16 years.
Mamoepa went on to serve the African National Congress as a spokesperson and played an important role in his communications when Mandela was President of South Africa.
His engaging warmth, generosity of spirit and passion for his work characterised his generation of communications experts for the former liberation movement. His professionalism remained through the many roles he played as a spokesperson in government.
We will miss him.
Our condolences to his wife, Audrey, family, comrades and friends, and to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and colleagues with whom he worked until he fell ill last month.
ENDS