Sascoc, Cope pay tribute to iconic , inspirational Mluleki George He was a consummate politician and inspirational leader, with a decorated career in both the sporting and political arenas. Former Deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George. Picture: Daily Dispatch video screengrab / Facebook
JOHANNESBURG - Congress of the People (Cope) told
Eyewitness News on Wednesday that former deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George would be remembered as someone who served the country with distinction.
The apartheid struggle stalwart passed away on Tuesday night from coronavirus complications. He was 72 years old.
He was deputy Defence Minister from 2004 to 2008, and fought against apartheid in sports, especially rugby. He was elected to represent the ANC in Parliament after the first democratic elections.
Lulama Zenzile, Die Burger
Former defence deputy minister Mluleki George died on Tuesday at the age of 72.
George was one of the people who founded the Congress Of The People after breaking away from ANC in 2008.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said George played an active role in fighting apartheid as a member of the ANC.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has described Mluleki George as a dynamic community and political activist who was driven to help people access opportunities to transform their lives .
The former SA Rugby vice-president and founding member of political party Cope died of Covid-19 this week.
SAFA President shocked by the passing of Mluleki George
6 January 2021 – South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Dr Danny Jordaan said he had learnt with great shock and immense sadness the untimely passing away of founding SAFA President and politician, Mluleki George who succumbed to covid-19 in East London on Tuesday.
Mr George served as the first President of SAFA during the unification of South African football that was then splintered in four federations and on racial lines. Each federation had its own constitution and president.
‘’Football decided not to appoint any of the serving Presidents and unanimously appointed Mluleki George to steer the interim FA into a single, united and non-racial football body called the South African Football Association,’’ said SAFA President who also worked closely with Mr George soon after the dawn of the new dispensation. They were both ANC legislators.
(Gallo Images)
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) on Wednesday expressed sadness at the death of distinguished former South African Football Rugby Union (now SA Rugby) vice-president
Mluleki George.
George, who was instrumental in South Africa s transition from segregated sport to unity in the early 1990s, died at the age of 72 due to Covid-19.
He was the founding member of the National Sports Council (NSC) and in 1989 founded the National Olympic Committee of South Africa.
The latter organisation was the harbinger to the premier sports governing federation in South Africa, SASCOC. Mr George played an integral part in the unification of South African sport in the early 1990s and himself served as President of the NSC and United Border Rugby Union from 1991 to 2001 and as Vice-President of the South African Rugby Football Union from 1993 until 1998, SASCOC said in a statement.
George was also a deputy defence minister.
He and former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota were among a group of breakaway ANC stalwarts who astounded delegates at the Polokwane elective conference of the ANC, making public their intention to serve divorce papers on the party.
This was amid a struggle for power between former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.
They were among a group of prominent ANC heavyweights who left in support of Mbeki when Zuma ascended to the presidency of the party.
They resigned from the ANC shortly before their disciplinary hearing.
George went on to become the treasurer-general of the newly formed ANC breakaway the Congress of the People (Cope) in a life filled with achievements and firsts.