SANDILE MOTHA
TRIBUTES continue to pour in for ANC spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Ricardo Mthembu, who died after COVID-19 complications on Wednesday. Mthembu was a member of the provincial legislature and former KwaDukuza Municipality mayor on the province’s north coast.
Mthembu is alleged to have succumbed to death after testing positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago.
The news of Mthembu’s untimely passing was confirmed to Inside Politics by ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli.
“The ANC reacts with a heavy heart to the tragic passing of comrade Ricardo Mthembu. He was a service delivery champion who led the movement with distinction,” said Ntuli.
He said Mthembu had tested positive for Covid-19 leading to his hospitalisation two weeks ago, saying although the virus had compromised his health, he fought to the bitter end.
He is believed to have succumbed to the pandemic on Wednesday morning while at a private hospital in KwaDukuza, a place where he grew up and honed his political career.
Opposition parties in the province also weighed in on the unexpected passing of Mthembu, describing him as a skilled negotiator who believed in the democratic values.
“Honourable Mthembu was a man who understood democracy. I had a pleasure to debate against him many times running up to the 2019 elections and found an individual who was open to debating tough issues. He also recognised that while we were from different political parties, it did not mean that we should be enemies,” said Zwakele Mncwango, the Democratic Alliance provincial leader.
Mthembu broke into the mainstream politics while serving as ANC chairperson of the formerly Greater KwaDukuza region, now General Gizenga Mpanza.
He was subsequently deployed to serve the party as KwaDukuza mayor, spending 8 years.
After last year’s General Elections, he was elevated to serve the party in the provincial legislature as a member of provincial council.
He later became the ANC KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson, filling a post left vacant following the deployment of Nomagugu Simelane- Zulu as MEC for Health.
(Compiled by Inside Politics staff)
