Mandela Foundation saddened by passing of Mamoepa

Sunday, July 23, 2017

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has expressed sadness on the untimely death of Ronnie Mamoepa on Saturday night.

The Foundation said his association with Nelson Mandela goes back many years 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 sixteen years,” the Foundation said in a statement.

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, the foundation said.

“We will miss him. Our condolences to his wife Audrey, comrades and friends and to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and colleagues with whom he worked until he fell ill last month." – SAnews.gov.za