By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress eThekwini Regional Treasurer Nomthandazo Zoe Shabalala has died.
Shabalala, who was elected to the position at the party’s regional conference alongside Zandile Gumede, died on Friday, a few hours before the conference started.
Her death was formally announced by provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli at the conference. He asked the attendees to stand and observe a moment of silence for her.
“Comrades, we just received news while we were here at the conference, that our newly-elected eThekwini regional treasurer has passed on. Let us stand and observe a moment of silence for her and other fallen comrades,”said Ntuli.
Although Ntuli did not disclose her cause of death, he said she had been ill for a long time.
In her honour and other fallen party leaders and members a candle was lit.
Shabalala, a former eThekwini Municipality councillor for ward 78 in Umlazi, south of Durban, had to accept her nomination through a letter as she didn’t attend the conference. She was one of the members affected by the step-aside rule which barred members from participating in the conference.
At the time of her death, she hadn’t resumed her duties as treasurer because she was still on step-aside.
Details of her funeral will be released after the provincial conference and after the regional leadership had visited her family.