By Kaya 959 Reporter
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday paid his respects to Joburg Mayor Jolidee Matongo who died in a car crash at the weekend.
This week, a wreath-laying ceremony was conducted on the Golden Highway in Lenasia South, where the crash occurred.
It is alleged that Matongo’s vehicle was travelling along the highway when a pedestrian ran into the road. Authorities said Matongo’s driver swerved to avoid crashing into the pedestrian and collided with a bakkie.
Matongo was believed to have been on his way home after a full day of electioneering alongside Ramaphosa in Soweto just hours before the fatal crash.
The pedestrian and the driver of the second vehicle have since died.
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Ramaphosa pays his respects
Ramaphosa visited Matongo’s family where he expressed his condolences and described him as an outstanding leader.
He said he was saddened to receive the news of Matongo’s passing. Ramaphosa told the media that Matongo’s work and vision for the province will still be carried out.
“He was a person who abhorred corruption and wanted things to be done properly and that endeared him to many people,” he said.
In a statement issued following Matongo’s death, Speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo said Matongo’s passing dealt another major blow to the province.
“Although in the position for a short period, Mayor Matongo had already accustomed himself to the new responsibilities, illustrated a depth of understanding of the complexities of local government and was enhancing people’s developmental services,” the statement read.
“We are left much poorer by the untimely passing of this young, visionary and energetic leader, who died with his boots on, at the time that South Africa yearns for highly principled and upright leaders of his calibre,” Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo said.
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