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

21 January 2021 - 16:15

By kyle zeeman AND Kyle Zeeman

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.