Thread: Death Notice: Minister John Pandeni

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. John Pandeni was a true son of Namibia, and a real hero. May his soul rest in peace

John Pandeni was one of three former Robben Island prisoners who played a pivotal role in launching the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) and its affiliated unions in the late 1980s. Like his fellow union organisers Ben Ulenga and Petrus Iilonga, he had been a People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) fighter who was captured and then imprisoned on Robben Island.

Following his release in 1985, he became the founding General Secretary of the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau), which he led until 1992 when he was elected as Regional Councillor for Soweto in Katutura. He served as the Khomas Regional Governor from 1993 until 2005.

He was elected onto the Swapo Central Committee in 1991. He entered the inner circle of the party at the 1997 Congress when he was chosen as Deputy Secretary General and as a result joined the Politburo. He was re-elected as Deputy Secretary General in 2002.

After 12 years experience as a Regional Governor, Pandeni was placed on the Swapo party list in 2004 after it was decided that the Deputy Secretary General should be in the National Assembly. President Hifikepunye Pohamba appointed him Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rehabilitation in March 2005.

Source of biography: NID - Namibia Institute For Democracy