ANC's Jacqui Mofokeng dies a day after her daughter's death

ANC MP Jacqueline Mofokeng has died, the ANC announced on Thursday.

The ruling party said Mofokeng had died on Thursday morning — a day after her own daughter, Thato, died in hospital.

The circumstances surrounding their deaths have not been disclosed.

In a statement, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina said they were shocked and saddened by Mofokeng’s death.

“For the ANC caucus, this is a great loss. She was a dedicated member who served with dignity, humility and commitment to strengthen the security cluster for the safety and protection of the lives of South Africans. Comrade Mofokeng committed herself to the work assigned to her until her last day. She died with her boots on,” said Majodina.

In another statement issued by Bulelani Magwanishe, committee chairperson on justice and correctional services, it was revealed that Mofokeng was found dead at her home.

“This morning, the family could unfortunately not wake her up,” Magwanishe said. “This is a double blow for the family. We are deeply saddened by this loss.”

He said she was a dedicated and disciplined member of the committee, who always made valuable contributions to the extremely important work of parliament.

“She worked well with all members of this multiparty committee and was always willing to listen and at times take on board the views of opposition parties in the committee to ensure thorough oversight work and watertight legislation. She was particularly passionate about the gender-based violence legislation that the committee is currently dealing with — everything to ensure a better and safer SA for all,” Magwanishe added.

Highlighting Mofokeng’s rise through the ANC ranks, the party said her long-standing political career began in the 1990s, when she served in the Gauteng province ANCWL PEC as the regional secretary in Tshwane. She later served as regional chairperson of the ANCWL in Tshwane and was currently the spokesperson of the ANCWL PEC in Gauteng.

“Comrade Mofokeng became a member of the sixth parliament in 2019 and served in the joint constitutional review committee, the joint standing committee on intelligence, the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services, and the portfolio committee on police. She took over as the whip of the study group on justice and correctional services after the late comrade Hishaam Mohamed,” said Majodina.

“She also served at the Gauteng provincial legislature for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019, in the portfolio committees of local government, social development and education. Comrade Mofokeng was the chairperson of the standing committee on oversight on the office of the premier and legislature, chairperson of community safety portfolio committee, the deputy chief whip and chairperson of the standing committee on scrutiny of subordinate legislation.”

Mofokeng — who religiously attended the court case against Oscar Pistorius, who was accused of killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp — was reported by Majodina to have worked hard to advance the fight for a just society and was a strong advocate for the emancipation of women.

In 2016, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother June, who often sat side-by-side with Mofokeng in court, said Mofokeng was the helping hand that got her through the ordeal of the court proceedings.

“I could never repay her for what she has done for us. She is a part of our family. She's an amazing, powerful woman. She's a leader,” June said of Mofokeng.

Almost a decade ago, Mofokeng's own domestic issues made headlines when her husband was put on trial after she alleged he had attacked her and threatened to kill their daughter, Thato.

Mofokeng's husband Dan was acquitted of the charges. 

The ANC has conveyed its condolences to the Mofokeng family. 

Details over the burial of the mother and daughter are yet to be announced.

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