The African National Congress in the Eastern Cape is still reeling with shock at the tragic deaths of two of its senior deployees to municipal councils in two successive days.
The 18th of July 2017, a day we were to celebrate the life of our international icon Tata Nelson Mandela turned into a cold and sorrowful day as we received the shocking news of the passing on of two of our young women leaders, Cde Thozama Njobe and Cde Siphokazi Nkele.
Whilst the rest of the country was celebrating Mandela Day, the ANC in the province, the people of the two municipalities, the Njobe and Nkele families in particular, had to contend with adeep sense of shock and loss that these deaths brought upon them.
Cde Siphokazi Nkele who serverd as the Council Speaker of Engcobo Local Municipality passed on yesterday following a short illness. We are quite shocked and saddened by her sudden passing, as an organisation we were still expecting a lot from her.
We wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to her family, the Engcobo Local Municipality, the people of the entire province and the entire ANC led movement.
We are still in great disbielif in the cold-blooded and cowardly manner in which Comrade Thozama Njobe’s life was taken, we are still baffled as to who could be so cold hearted and evil to brutally take the life of the ever smiling and lovable Cde Thozie.
Cde Njobe serverd as the Council Speaker of the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality and ANC Branch Secretary at the time of her passing. We are calling upon the law enforcement agencies leave no stone unturned in hunting down and bringing to book those responsible for this henious crime.
We also appealing to anyone who may have information that may assist with the investigation to contact their nearest police station. We want all those behind this cowardly act to be unmasked and brought to justice.
Both Cde Thozie and Cde Sphoki were brilliant young women activists of the ANC and dedicated public representatives. We will remember them for their ever smiling faces and jovial personalities who were always ready to serve the people and the movement with absolute dedication. This is indeed a great loss to the movement as we were still expecting a lot from these young cadres.
We again wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to their families and we say to them lalani ngenxeba in this time of grief and sadness as the ANC we are with you, your loss is our loss.
May their souls rest in eternal peace. Details of the funerals and memorial services will be provided as soon as they become available.
This statement must be attributed to the ANC EC Provincial Secretary Cde Oscar Lubabalo Mabuyane.
For more information please contact:
ANC Eastern Cape Acting Communications Officer
Judy Ngoloyi
Mobile No: 073 1175194/ 063 687 8267
Email: judy.ngoloyi@gmail.com
