Johannesburg – Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga described the late Free State education MEC Pule Herbert Izak Makgoe, who was popularly known as “Tate”, as a focused, dedicated, and humble human being.
Motshekga said Makgoe was able to identify talent among the staff and strong people in the province to lead.
She was speaking during her visit to the family in the Free State on Monday.
Makgoe, 59, died in a car accident on the N1 outside Winburg in the early hours of Sunday. His bodyguard, Warrant Officer Piet Mdi also died, while his driver, Warrant Officer Pule Nkopane was taken to the hospital.
According to emergency services personnel on the scene, the vehicle they were travelling in hit two cows. The three were trapped in the wreckage.
Under the leadership of Makgoe, the Free State obtained an 88.5% matric pass rate last year, putting it ahead of the entire country.
"I have had the privilege of working with Makgoe over a long period of time. When he was appointed MEC in 2009, I was appointed minister in the same year. He was among the first people I spoke to.
“I said to him, ‘Tate, you know... I am happy I was appointed minister from a province, and I know the challenges of misalignment between national (government) and province.’
“I told him things I wanted to do, including getting rid of OBE... and I wanted to do the following, and Tate said to me, ‘I am from the finance sector, I am an engineer, so (you) lead and we will follow,’ ” Motshekga said.
She said Makgoe was leading in many respects. “The many innovations that we did, because as I have said, we both had an advantage of being long in the system and getting to develop a deeper understanding of where the issues and problems are, and just understanding the process.
“I remember saying to him that this curriculum transformation I want to do is not a five-year project; the minimum is 10 years, and we had this thing of saying plant the seed, whoever comes will drive it… I was so happy when he was reappointed in 2014. I was happy and said, ‘Our seed, we are going to trim our seed,” she said.
The ANC said it is mourning “a leading steward in educational leadership” in Makgoe; the party said his sterling record included top national matric pass rates for the Free State for the past four consecutive years, with numbers recorded at more than 80% each year.
The ANC said Makgoe had served in different positions in the Free State executive council. From 1994 to 1996, and again starting in 2005 to 2009, he was the Free State’s finance MEC. As MEC for tourism and environmental affairs, he served from 1997 to 1999, followed by his role as MEC for agriculture from 1999 to 2001.
He was also MEC for public safety, security, and liaison from 2004 to 2005. And from 2001 to 2004, he served as the Free State legislature’s chairperson of committees.
“We also wish Warrant Officer Pule Nkopane a speedy recovery in hospital,” said ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri.
“The ANC extends its deepest condolences to Comrade Tate Makgoe and Warrant Officer Vuyo Mdi’s families, their loved ones, comrades, colleagues, and all the people of the Free State, especially the Free State learners.
“We also wish Warrant Officer Pule Nkopane a speedy recovery in hospital,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said the cause of the accident remained unknown and that law and traffic enforcement authorities are investigating.
The Star