President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid respects to Dr. Sam Motsuenyane, a renowned pioneer of black business who passed away at the age of 97.
During the height of apartheid, Motsuenyane was a key figure in the founding of African Bank and the significant National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC).
“Dr. Sam Motsuenyane’s passing, which occurred 60 years after NAFCOC was founded, serves as a poignant reminder of the scope, resilience, and longevity of his vision and his unwavering enthusiasm for development and self-reliance.
His extraordinary career as an entrepreneur, organized business leader, lawmaker, and diplomat, among other positions, exemplified the tenacious nature of our country and the principles of Ubuntu.
The President stated in a statement on Tuesday that “his philosophy of self-sufficiency is today entrenched in the socio-economic rights that our constitution safeguards and in the constitutional right each of us enjoys to freely choose our trade, occupation, or profession.”
The businessman was the first ambassador of South Africa to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in addition to being a member of parliament.
Awarded the title of Esteemed Member of the National Order of the Baobab (Gold) in acknowledgment of his noteworthy individual accomplishments
The President sent Motsuenyane’s family, friends, and associates his condolences as well as the government’s.
“With the passing of Dr. Motsuenyane on the eve of the 2024 National Orders Ceremony [which is scheduled for this Tuesday], we are reminded of the honor bestowed upon him in 2002 as the country honored a remarkable patriot and a source of inspiration for our then-emerging democracy.”
“May his soul find peace,” stated President Ramaphosa.
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