South Africa says goodbye to Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri

Breaking news across South Africa today is that Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, who has served South Africa as minister of communications since 1999 has died of natural causes in a Pretoria Hospital at the ripe old age of 71.

“Expressing his condolences to her family and friends, President Kgalema Motlanthe said Matsepe-Casaburri was “an outstanding leader and servant of the people of South Africa”.

A few tech savvy South Africans seem to be divided on the ‘outstanding leader’ part though, and some are breaking the news about Matepe-Casaburri’s passing less tactfully: Toby Shabshack for example thinks the President “must be looking at a different track record because that is not true of her decade as Communications Minister.”

Toby goes on to say: “While government spokesmen will be quick to eulogise her, they have forgotten how she hamstrung an entire industry for the benefit of Telkom’s profiteering. This was ultimately at the expense of ordinary South Africans, who were forced to pay ludicrous telecoms costs.”

Although many would agree that Toby’s comments hit the nail on the head, taking into account Matsepe-Casaburri’s age, I would have to say that for an elderly lady she did quite well, I mean just think how well your grandmother would do as the minister of communications.

Maybe a new and hopefully younger minister, will be better equipped to take South Africa into the digital age.

On behalf of the entire fring team I would like to express our condolences to the family and friends of Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri.