Yet another lawmaker has succumbed to Covid-19.
ANC MP Tozama Mantashe, the sister of ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, died on Sunday due to Covid-19 complications.
Tozama Mantashe is the 13th MP to have died of the virus.
In a statement on Monday, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina said Mantashe was hospitalised for a few weeks.
"At the time of her demise, Comrade Tozama Mantashe had served in both the fifth and sixth Parliament and was assigned to serve on the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry during the sixth Parliament as well as the National Assembly Rules Committee and Joint Rules Committee," she said.
Majodina described her as a fiery gender activist and committed ANC member.
"As caucus, we deeply feel this loss as her passing leaves a deep void and has robbed the ANC parliamentary caucus of a dynamic gender activist, a cadre who had a deep commitment to the improvement of the conditions of the lives of workers, a working-class leader, a champion of rural development and women's empowerment in a year our movement pays tribute to Mama Charlotte Maxeke," Majodina said.
Last week, the ANC moved to replaced five MPs - all of whom died of Covid-19 complications.
Among the MPs who died was former minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, whose position as MP was filled by Xiaomei Havard from Gauteng.
Four other vacant positions were filled after the death of MPs Pumza Dyantyi, Loyiso Mpumlwana, Nomvuzo Shabalala and Nombulelo Hermans.
Before her move to the National Assembly, Mantashe served on the ANC Eastern Cape executive committee between 2010 and 2014.
She was also Nehawu Eastern Cape chairperson and later served as the second vice-president of Nehawu responsible for international work.
"We will miss her love, warmth, collegiality and loyalty to the Republic and dedication to our people, especially her love for the province of the Eastern Cape. In her honour, we will pick up her spear and continue to fight all forms of gender-based violence and corruption. We further commit to strengthen our resolve to build a better country for all our people as we battle the second wave of the pandemic and have great hope that the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine today [Monday] will alleviate the plight of our people," Majodina said.
During a press briefing last week, National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise said 56 Covid-19 infections were recorded among parliamentary staff members.
Modise revealed 12 MPs and five officials had so far died since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
SOURCE: NEWS24
