Eddie Mtsweni
ANC activist and Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) deputy chairperson Nomvuyo Violet Ntsali was laid to rest at Emfihlweni Heroes Park in Tembisa on Saturday.
Her burial ceremony, attended by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwane, followed a three hour funeral service held at the Tembisa Christian Family Church in Hospital View.
Other dignitaries who graced the Ntsali’s funeral service included Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane, Gauteng Health MEC and ANC provincial deputy chairperson Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, ANC provincial secretary TK Nciza, ANC Regional Task Team Convenor in Ekurhuleni Doctor Xhakaza, MGSLG board chairman Tsěliso Ledimo and chief executive Sibusiso Mahlangu.
Paying tribute to Ntsali, Lesufi described the woman who was popularly known as Mam Vi, as a dedicated leader and a mother who loved the poor.
“Comrades, before us lie a body of a special woman, a caring woman, a selfless woman. Upright, committed, clear. She was a mother to all of us. It is difficult to describe the pain and sadness that I feel. She was a sister, a mother and comrade, whom I shared so much over a long period. You are so much more than a fellow member of the movement. You are part of my wellbeing….my surrounding and my work. Our hearts may beat, but the sound has changed.
“Our minds may function, but our thoughts are troubled. Never did it pass our minds that one day we will gather like this without you Mama. With each coming day, your loss becomes more difficult to bear. Your loss is a painful one. You were never stubborn. You were never difficult. But you were always misunderstood. When the spear was blunt, comrade Mam Vi will sharpen it. When debates were directionless, Mam Vi will direct it. When anger was the order of the day, she will bring order and sanity. We have indeed lost a cadre,” said Lesufi.
He said the best way to for the ANC to honour Ntsali was to win the 2024 general elections outright.
“As we prepare your final ground, we want to commit one thing and one thing only…. the movement you loved so much, will never go down. The movement that you stood for… we will defend it with whatever that we have.
“For us to win Gauteng, we need 2,5 million votes. What I know about Mam Vi, she was not coming to those voting polls alone. She brought her own family, her own community and everyone who believed in the ANC. Our task is very simple. It is to go and achieve those 2,5 million votes on her behalf, so that she can be happy where she is resting,” said Lesufi.
Chiloane said he was saddened by Ntsali’s untimely passing.
“In my view, she still had a lot to offer. Just last month, I reappointed her to the board to continue serving as deputy chairperson for the next three years. If there’s one thing that stood out about Mam Vi [is that] she took her role as a board member very seriously and professionally.
“She will always be on time for board meetings. Given that we will not hear her voice again, we will be poorer without her. We honour and celebrate the life of Mam Vi as a great champion of education. She dedicated her life to the betterment of the system. Indeed a rare jewel has fallen from the crown, a sparkling light of hope has gone dim, a polyester that illuminated its lights on our lives is no more. Her passing is difficult to accept. How we choose to honour and celebrate her life is entirely up to us. Her unwavering commitment of providing opportunities for children and young people to succeed will never be forgotten. She was a true pioneer and always pushing for change. She was always advocating for the needs of our schools, teachers and learners. She made an incredible impact on our education system and her legacy will continue to leave on,” said Chiloane.
Ledimo said Ntsali performed her duties as deputy chairperson of MGSLG with diligence.
“She was a pillar of strength. She carried hope all the time. She was action orientated and very passionate about work. She espoused discipline and respect. She was a mother figure in the board. She was a very vital organ of the board.
To honour her, we must sustain the legacy that she’s left us,” said Ledimo.
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