'Hamba kahle, Mkhonto': Mzansi mourns the death of minister Jackson Mthembu
Image: GCIS
Social media was flooded with tributes to late minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu after his death on Thursday morning.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that Mthembu had died of Covid-19 related complications. He was 62 at the time of his death.
On January 11, Mthembu announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 after “showing some symptoms”.
“Today I visited the military hospital in Tshwane to get medical attention for an abdominal pain. After undergoing some tests, I tested positive for Covid-19. Plans are afoot to get all my family members and close associates tested as well,” he wrote.
Mthembu was a prominent part of the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, communicating key messages about the virus to citizens.
“Minister Mthembu was an exemplary leader, an activist and lifelong champion of freedom and democracy. He was a much-loved and greatly respected colleague and comrade, whose passing leaves our nation at a loss,” Ramaphosa said in tribute to Mthembu.
Social media was filled with messages of condolences and tribute to Mthembu, dominating the Twitter trends list with thousands of tweets.