International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor has expressed shock and sadness at the death of South Africa’s ambassador to Senegal, The Gambia and Cabo Verde, Lenin Magigwane Shope.

The top diplomat passed away his official residence in Senegal’s capital Dakar on Thursday.

“Having been born in a family which has played an indelible role in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, the late Ambassador Shope has served the people of South Africa all his life,” spokesperson for the department of international relations and cooperation Clayson Monyela said in a statement.

“Our struggle against apartheid shaped his life in a momentous way, as he was educated in Cuba, wherein he trained as an engineer at the Technological University of Havana from 1982 to 1986.

“In a surprising but welcome twist of fate, he became South Africa’s Ambassador to Cuba from 2003 to 2007, wherein he elevated the South African-Cuban relations to unprecedented levels of cooperation, solidarity and brotherhood,” Monyela added.

Monyela recounted how Shope had served as South Africa’s foremost representative in Italy from 2003 to 2008, in Australia from 2009 to 2010, in neighbouring Botswana from 2010 to 2012 and in Senegal from 2017 until his death.

“His untimely passing in Senegal is a huge loss to our people’s struggle for a just, equitable, peaceful world and the Africa we want as enunciated in the African Union Agenda 2063,” said Monyela.

He said minister Pandor deeply mourned Shope’s passing and had offered her condolences to his mother, siblings including South Africa’s ambassador to Cuba Thaninga Shope-Linney, his children and the entire Shope family and friends.

The ruling African National Congress also expressed sadness over the death of Shope, who grew up in exile and studied in Cuba.

“Cuba influenced his revolutionary outlook including imparting the revolutionary values of selfless service and human solidarity,” ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said.

Shope had had “a very colourful diplomatic career” during which he represented South Africa in the different missions abroad, Mabe added.