Tribute to Dr Letsebe: South Africa has lost a seasoned civil servant

DR ANNE Letsebe is no more. She was laid to rest on Friday. South Africa has lost a seasoned civil servant - one chiselled in the Cabinet Secretariat of President Nelson Mandela and refined under the unified Cabinet Committee system led by Reverend Frank Chikane during President Mbeki's administration.

- PALI LEHOHLA

Dr Letsebe's professional journey reflected a rare blend of intellect, integrity, and dedication to the public good. She took a deep interest in statistics, and when I became the Statistician-General of South Africa in 2000, I worked closely with her.

Our relationship continued into retirement, bound by shared commitments to evidence, governance, and transformation.

Now that she belongs to the Ages, she joins another departed colleague, Dr Lulama Makhubela, with whom I worked on the South Africa Women In Dialogue (SAWID) Transdisciplinary Study in 2020/2021. That study, initiated in June 2020, was launched ten months later at UNISA in March 2021.

Yet the launch was shadowed by the passing of another formidable leader, Dr Vuyo Mahlathi, whose energy had drawn me into this all-women movement — where I felt like an honorary woman. The launch was dedicated to her memory.

Although Dr Letsebe could not attend, she sent me a note that carried immense meaning:

"Congratulations on the launch of the report and for the associated hard work. I had an urgent family matter to attend to, which kept me occupied till last night.