By Sidima Mfeku.
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape is mourning the death of struggle stalwart and former Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Ntombazana Getrude Winfred Botha (82).
Botha passed away at the East London hospital on Saturday after a long illness.
The party says it has lost a gender activist and advocate for equality.
Provincial ANC spokesperson Gift Ngqondi says the party is saddened by Botha’s passing.
“Comrade Ntombazana Botha’s passing the veterans league in the broader movement has lost an organiser, a dedicated servant of our people and a community builder. We dip our banner in honour of this heroin of our revolution. The ANC sends its deepest condolences to her family and friends.”
Botha started her political activism within the trade union movement and became an associate member of the South African Allied Workers Union in 1980 until 1981.
She helped establish the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Border region of the Eastern Cape in 1983.
She also served as vice-chairperson of the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition in 1996 and 1997, and joined Parliament in 1997.
She was member of Parliament in the National Assembly and a member of portfolio committees on Justice and Constitutional Development, and Improvement of the Quality and the Status of Women and Finance.
She represented the South African Parliament at the Inter-Parliament Union Conference in Moscow, Russia in 1998 and she was a Co-Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination.
After the 2004 general election, former president Thabo Mbeki, appointed her as Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, under Minister Pallo Jordan. She served in that portfolio until the 2009 general election, in which she did not seek re-election to the National Assembly.