Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, has expressed sadness at the sudden passing of Peter Theodore Alexander Cloete, the Education District Director of Namakwa in the Northern Cape, who lost his battle with cancer.

Cloete passed away on Thursday, having served 31 years within the education sector in various capacities as educator, Deputy Education Specialist and District Director since 2019.

“We have lost not only a brilliant leader, but a teacher and manager with enormous passion and vigour. In my interactions with Cloete, fondly known as PTA, at my quarterly meetings with all District Directors, he came across as a vibrant, energetic and passionate manager, with excellent and quality leadership much needed in the sector.

“On behalf of the National Department of Basic Education, I would like to join the MEC of Education in the Northern Cape in expressing my sincere condolences to Cloete’s family, his wife Elma, son Duegald, his colleagues and friends.

“He will always remain in our hearts and remembered as a valuable asset who possessed admirable qualities of commitment, hard work and determination, which contributed immensely to the education sector. It is indeed befitting that the Northern Cape Education Department flag will be flying at half-mast all week in his honour,” Motshekga said.

Source: South African Government News Agency