Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has extended his heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and comrades of David Niddrie, who was a ministerial envoy responsible for advising the Minister on the National Skills Development policies and strategy.
Niddrie (69) died at his home in Johannesburg on 9 May 2023.
Nzimande said Niddrie, who was selfless and diligent, served both the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Science and Innovation.
“Niddrie was advising me on the strategic framework and criteria for the allocation of funds from the National Skills Authority (NSA) and on any regulations to be made for the implementation of the Skills Act.
“He also advised me on the reports on the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) liaison regarding the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDP) and Sector Plans,” Nzimande said.
Niddrie was also a stalwart of the liberation movements, in particular the South African Communist Party (SACP), the African National Congress (ANC) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU),” Nzimande said.
He was a media specialist who worked as an editor for many publications, including the SACP publications, the Communist and Umsebenzi.
He also worked for media houses, including the Benoni City Times, IPC Publications in London, Rand Daily Mail, Sunday Tribune and City Press, among others.
“I must indicate that Niddrie's media activism dates back to 1972 at the Benoni City Times as a trainee journalist up until his work with the SACP African Communist and Umsebenzi and many other publications which he continued to make contributions to this day,” said Minister.
“Niddrie was also a selfless and self-disciplined leader who was concerned about the welfare of the poor and the destitute. He demonstrated his gracious leadership by always making time to training upcoming journalists who worked in the publications that he led and worked for,” the Minister said.
Niddrie was the founder member of the Campaign for Open Media and the Campaign for Independent Broadcasting and served on the executive structures between 1989 and 1993.
These were among the broad-based organisations campaigning for media freedom and the transformation of the SABC from an apartheid state broadcaster to a public broadcaster.
In this capacity, Niddrie jointly drafted criteria for membership of the first independently appointed SABC board, and appointment process.
Niddrie also held directorships of the Public Broadcasting Initiative, the Mopani Media (Pty) Ltd, Yarona FM (Botswana), YHM (Pty) Ltd (Botswana), South African Broadcasting Corporation, the State Information Technology Agency (Sita), Southern Africa Report and Intengu Consulting (Pty) Ltd, amongst others. – SAnews.gov.za
