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The Citizen reports that tributes poured in last week for academic and leading anti-apartheid activist Prof Eddie Webster.
Webster, who dedicated his life to industrial sociology, economics, politics and labour research – and contributed immensely to worker struggles and laws – unexpectedly died of a heart attack at the age of 82 last week. Mourning his passing, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) national spokesperson Matthew Parks said Webster’s contribution had “left an indelible mark”. Vavi commented further: “Arguably, he is the founder of South Africa’s industrial sociology. Among some of his initiatives to develop industrial sociology was the foundation of the Society, Work and Politics Institute and the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at Wits University.” Parks said Webster was “passionate about research – in particular the evolving labour landscape and left an indelible mark in the study of the sociology of work and labour in South Africa.” Webster obtained a BA Honours degree and a university education diploma from Rhodes University, an MA from Oxford University and a bachelor of philosophy degree from York University. He obtained his PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand. Webster wrote several books, over 100 academic articles and numerous research reports.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Brian Sokutu at The Citizen
- Read too, Eddie Webster leaves a legacy of advocacy for social justice that transcends academia, at Daily Maverick
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page