By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Nkosi Duma passed away on Thursday, 16 December 2021. Photos: (Left) Twitter / @CoE_ANC_Caucus. (Right) Parliament.
Former Ekurhuleni mayor and SACP Gauteng provincial executive committee (PEC) member Duma Nkosi has died.
The SACP in Gauteng has paid tribute to Nkosi, who succumbed to cancer on Thursday night.
SACP provincial secretary Jacob Mamabolo said in a statement they learned with shock and sadness of his death.
“We are indeed saddened and devastated that he passes away at the time when his wisdom and expertise to rebuild our revolutionary movement were most needed,” Mamabolo said, before extending condolences to his family, comrades and friends.
“Comrade Duma was not an ordinary member, but held in high esteem within and beyond the revolutionary circles of the ANC-headed national liberation movement as a stalwart,” he said.
Nkosi, who was an SACP provincial executive committee member, was an ANC MP and served as the chairperson of trade and industry portfolio committee at the time of his death.
He was among a crop of MPs elected to the inaugural Parliament in 1994.
In a statement on Friday, parliamentary presiding officers said they were saddened by the passing-on of Nkosi who served as the chairperson of the trade and industry portfolio committee.
National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo said the passing of the former struggle veteran was a great loss to the legislative sector and South Africa as a whole.
“In him, we have lost a great leader and servant of our people, a former Robben Islander and freedom fighter, who dedicated his entire life to liberate and to serve this country,” Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo said.
Meanwhile, trade and industry portfolio acting chairperson Judy Hermans expressed her condolences to Nkosi’s family, friends and his political party.
“I am deeply saddened by his untimely death. He was loyal to the country, its people and his political party – the African National Congress. His passing leaves a deep void.
I think I can speak confidently on behalf of the whole committee, we will truly miss Mr Nkosi’s vibrant engagements and institutional knowledge in our meetings.”
Nkosi served as the executive mayor of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality from 2001 until 2008, before returning to the National Assembly two years ago.
He was also the chairperson of the SA Local Government Association in Gauteng and executive mayor of Ekurhuleni from 2001 to 2008.