Free State education MEC Tate Makgoe was on his way to a church service when he was killed in a car crash in the early hours of Sunday morning. The car car he was travelling with his bodyguard and driver collided with three cattle On the N1 outside Winburg at about 12.30am. Makgoe and his bodyguard died at the scene.
The driver escaped with injuries. Addressing media a few hours after Makgoe’s death, premier Mxolisi Dukwana said Makgoe was travelling from Johannesburg to Hedeidal in Bloemfontein to attend a church service at 9am.
''He had a meeting in Joburg and he was travelling back because he was going to attend a church service in Hedeidal at 9 o’clock today. That is why he insisted on driving in the early hours for him to be here [at the church service],’’ said Dukwana. Dukwana said Free State emergency services crew responded to the scene of the crash and found three occupants trapped in the vehicle.
''They used the jaws of life to free the occupants and unfortunately two were declared dead at the scene. The male driver of the vehicle suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Winburg Hospital for stabilisation for later transportation to a hospital in Bloemfontein,’’ said Dukwana. Dukwana said the deceased protector is W/O Piet Mdi.
Dukwana said he was saddened by the passing of Makgoe.
''As the ANC in the Free State and provincial government we are saddened by the untimely passing Tate Makgoe. We send our condolences to the family, his wife and children of our late comrade. We will extend our condolences to the people of Free State, the country and the education fraternity he [Makgoe] dedicated his whole life serving. ''He turned the Free State into a winning province in terms of education. He became an excellent administrator who loved education and his pupils. His death is a big blow to the province and education fraternity."
Dukwana is expected to visit the families of Makgoe and Mdi later on Sunday. He will also visit the driver in hospital. Makgoe was appointed education MEC in 2009. He had been a member of the Free State legislature from 1994. He served in various portfolios as MEC such as agriculture and finance and before his appointment as education MEC.
Dukwana said Makgoe is a chemical engineering graduate from the then Technikon Vaal Triangle now known as the Vaal University of Technology. His other qualifications include a Bachelor of commerce from the University of South Africa (Unisa), an Honours in commerce from the University of the Free State and a Masters in business leadership from Unisa.
kokam@sowetan.co.za
Free State education MEC Tate Makgoe killed in car crash
Image: Supplied
Free State education MEC Tate Makgoe was on his way to a church service when he was killed in a car crash in the early hours of Sunday morning. The car car he was travelling with his bodyguard and driver collided with three cattle On the N1 outside Winburg at about 12.30am. Makgoe and his bodyguard died at the scene.
The driver escaped with injuries. Addressing media a few hours after Makgoe’s death, premier Mxolisi Dukwana said Makgoe was travelling from Johannesburg to Hedeidal in Bloemfontein to attend a church service at 9am.
''He had a meeting in Joburg and he was travelling back because he was going to attend a church service in Hedeidal at 9 o’clock today. That is why he insisted on driving in the early hours for him to be here [at the church service],’’ said Dukwana. Dukwana said Free State emergency services crew responded to the scene of the crash and found three occupants trapped in the vehicle.
''They used the jaws of life to free the occupants and unfortunately two were declared dead at the scene. The male driver of the vehicle suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Winburg Hospital for stabilisation for later transportation to a hospital in Bloemfontein,’’ said Dukwana. Dukwana said the deceased protector is W/O Piet Mdi.
Dukwana said he was saddened by the passing of Makgoe.
''As the ANC in the Free State and provincial government we are saddened by the untimely passing Tate Makgoe. We send our condolences to the family, his wife and children of our late comrade. We will extend our condolences to the people of Free State, the country and the education fraternity he [Makgoe] dedicated his whole life serving. ''He turned the Free State into a winning province in terms of education. He became an excellent administrator who loved education and his pupils. His death is a big blow to the province and education fraternity."
Dukwana is expected to visit the families of Makgoe and Mdi later on Sunday. He will also visit the driver in hospital. Makgoe was appointed education MEC in 2009. He had been a member of the Free State legislature from 1994. He served in various portfolios as MEC such as agriculture and finance and before his appointment as education MEC.
Dukwana said Makgoe is a chemical engineering graduate from the then Technikon Vaal Triangle now known as the Vaal University of Technology. His other qualifications include a Bachelor of commerce from the University of South Africa (Unisa), an Honours in commerce from the University of the Free State and a Masters in business leadership from Unisa.
kokam@sowetan.co.za
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