South Africa

'Hamba kahle, Mkhonto': Mzansi mourns the death of minister Jackson Mthembu

"Another moment in our endless grieving journey."

Kyle Zeeman

Kyle Zeeman

Digital Editor

Many organistations continue to pay tribute to the late minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu.
Many organistations continue to pay tribute to the late minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu. (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.

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