By Dr Zweli Mkhize, MP and South Africa&#8217;s Minister of Health.



We
are all shattered by the sad news of the tragic and sudden loss of our beloved
Dr Thandi Ndlovu.&nbsp;



Dr
Ndlovu was an inspiring entrepreneur, a community developer, a freedom fighter,
a friend, a good doctor and a lovely human being.&nbsp;She inspired both
business women and men and was always elected to be their leader because of her
vision and her courage.&nbsp;



She
was trusted by many of us who still expected her to contribute a lot to the
future of our country. She worked hard and achieved many incredible milestones
in her career; making us all proud of her as a professional and a
businesswoman.



Personally,
I had the privilege to work closely with her as a comrade and business person
during my tenure as the Treasurer General of the African National Congress; as
she occupied leadership positions in various business organizations.



It
was fun to watch her in action &#8211; she was spectacular!&nbsp;



&nbsp;She
fought hard for Black business to be given space and be supported; taking up
their issues of unfair treatment and unpaid invoices as their spokesperson;
confronting inefficient and arrogant beaurocrats; with success.



In
the construction sector, Dr Ndlovu was known as the undisputed champion for
inclusivity, high quality performance and a fearless opponent for collusion and
injustice perpetrated against black contractors.&nbsp;



She
challenged chief executives and chairpersons of boards of the
large&nbsp;construction companies and on behalf of Black Business Council got
them to concede to a corrective process to address the past injustices; known
as Voluntary Rectification Program (VRP). This was a major achievements for the
BBC and government to enforce empowerment in the construction sector.



Men
and women in the industry respected her as a leader. 



For
her, being a woman was a source of confidence, strength, authority and decisive
leadership – it all came naturally. She was a strategist whose business acumen
made her a wise leader who was equally formidable and diplomatic in the board
room. These qualities made her ideas prevail.



Sisi
Thandi was a powerful force for transformation and economic emancipation!



&nbsp; South Africa&nbsp; has lost a leader and we
as a nation are all the poorer on such great a loss.



She
was a talented golfer,&nbsp; a generous person who loved people. She was always
cheerful with her loud infectious laughter.



She
was&nbsp; a good, humble and a caring soul and always a doctor at heart.&nbsp;



We
shall forever miss her sisterly love and warmth.&nbsp;



We
convey our deepest condolences to her beloved family, and to her friends.&nbsp;
May&nbsp; they be consoled to know that we
share in their grief.



May
her soul Rest In eternal Peace!

Op-Ed: A tribute to Dr Thandi Ndlovu

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‘Feisty And Fearless Pioneers’ – that was the Forbes Africa August cover with Nonkululeko Gobodo and that now late Dr. Thandi Ndlovu. Tributes continue to stream in following the car accident that led to the passing of a former medical doctor, member of Umkhonto we Sizwe (ANC&#8217;s military wing), former President of the Black Business Council, &#038; Founder of Motheo Construction, Thandi Ndlovu. To reflect on the life and work of Dr. Thandi Ndlovu, Managing Partner of Brighton Wealth SubSaharan, Kunyalala Maphisa joins CNBC Africa for more.

‘An inspiration that stood the test of time’: A reflection on Dr. Thandi Ndlovu’s life

<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Ndlovu-757x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-343606" width="406" height="549"/><figcaption> Dr Thandi Ndlovu 26 December, 1954 – 24 August, 2019 </figcaption></figure></div>



Various business leaders and organisations have paid tribute to construction entrepreneur Dr Thandi Ndlovu, who tragically passed away following a car accident that claimed four lives on Saturday. Dr Ndlovu was a woman who <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2019/08/24/pioneer-for-women-in-construction-thandi-ndlovu-has-died/">dared to challenge the status quo</a> venturing into industries that have been male dominated. 



She was a medical doctor turned businesswoman. In 1999, she entered the construction industry, setting up The Motheo Construction Group, which became one of the industry’s most respected players.  



The Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa describes Dr Ndlovu as &#8220;a true inspiration to many who had the privilege to know and work with her. A fearless business leader, social activist and a champion for the empowerment of women, amongst others&#8221;. 



The Black Business Council’s (BBC’s) President Sandile Zungu says of  Dr T, as she was affectionately known, that she was “a patriot, trailblazer, business leader who was adored, revered and celebrated beyond our shore”.



The South African Housing and
Infrastructure Fund (SAHIF) CEO, Rali Mampeule, called her &#8220;a heroine, a
dedicated businesswoman and a selfless leader. 
 
&#8220;Dr Thandi paved a way for a lot of women in the industry and she was on a
mission to unlock more opportunities for others. She was one of the shining
stars in the construction industry, thanks to her 20 years’ experience in the
sector.” 



Her family this evening issued the following statement about this extraordinaire women, excerpts from which have also been used above:



Dr T left
South Africa in 1976 to join the liberation movement &#8211; she was an established
member of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).&nbsp; She
was also a member of the executive of the ANC Womens Section in Lusaka, Zambia.&nbsp; Post liberation, she served in the SANDF as a
reserve in the South Africa Medical Health Services. 



She
distinguished herself in this field, despite the fact that she had entered it
with little knowledge of the sector, armed only with her towering intellect,
dogged determination and staggering work ethic – amongst her accomplishments
was being the president of the Black Business Council for the Built
Environment, a Council Member at South African Federation of Civil Engineering
Contractors, as well as being on the board of several companies.&nbsp; 



Ever
the community builder, Dr T established a foundation, the Dr. Thandi Ndlovu
Children’s Foundation, which dedicates itself to supporting orphaned and
vulnerable children through providing resources for school fees, accommodation
and meals. Her preoccupation with the well-being of children was inspired in
part by the untimely demise of her brother Hastings Ndlovu, who was one of the
young children gunned down in the infamous 1976 Soweto Student Uprising.&nbsp; 



Dr T
was a trailblazer in every field she entered, and a fierce advocate for women,
who she supported at every opportunity, making her passing this August,
National Womens Month, that much more poignant. Dr. Thandi Ndlovu was an
extraordinary woman whose legacy will surely live on through her work and deeds.




Funeral
arrangements will be announced at a later stage.

Dr Thandi Ndlovu

Op-Ed: A tribute to Dr Thandi Ndlovu

‘An inspiration that stood the test of time’: A reflection on Dr. Thandi Ndlovu’s life

Business leaders pay tribute to construction entrepreneur Dr Thandi Ndlovu

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Dr Thandi Ndlovu

Op-Ed: A tribute to Dr Thandi Ndlovu

‘An inspiration that stood the test of time’: A reflection on Dr. Thandi Ndlovu’s life

Business leaders pay tribute to construction entrepreneur Dr Thandi Ndlovu

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