Tributes continue to pour in for Northern Cape Education MEC Mac Jack after he succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
North West Premier Prof Tebogo Job Mokgoro is the latest to offer his condolences on behalf of his provincial government and the people of the North West to Premier Zamani Saul as well as the executive council and the people of the Northern Cape.
“We are deeply saddened after learning of the passing away of MEC Jack in the Northern Cape yesterday, and their loss inevitably is our loss due to the deep-rooted historical ties between our two provinces,” Mokgoro said.
“We therefore would like to take this time to comfort Premier Zamani Saul, the late MEC Jack’s family and exco colleagues, the ANC and the people of the Northern Cape during this difficult period,” he said.
Sadtu Northern Cape also expressed its shock at Jack’s death. He was a former teacher and a member of the union until he became a member of the Northern Cape legislature.
Sadtu provincial secretary Palesa Nqumashe said the union was saddened by Jack’s untimely death. Jack served as MEC for Education from May 2019 until his death.
“In the short space of time that he has served the education department in the province, Mac Jack has shown qualitative leadership. He was very passionate and focussed on improving the education system. He was on the ground in schools making sure he had a sense of how education in the Northern Cape looks, and was always willing to listen to the people he was leading,” Nqumashe said.
Nqumashe said Jack served in the structures of Sadtu as a regional chairperson of the Pixley KaSeme region. He had a deep understanding of how the union operated, which “empowered him to be the laboratory and revolutionary MEC he was”, she added.
“We are honoured to have worked with MEC Jack who had the best interests of the child and teachers at heart. The MEC recognised Sadtu for who Sadtu is and never forgot where he came from. We have lost a capable and progressive leader and this is a setback for the Northern Cape Department of Education. He was an esteemed leader, remarkable, dedicated and a visionary MEC,” Nqumashe said.
Sadtu said its thoughts were with Jack’s family, colleagues, Sadtu members, the society of the Northern Cape and the ANC, which he had served with humility and dedication for the better part of his life.
Political Bureau