Durban — Two women died in a head-on collision near Mkhondo in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.
Nkosikhona Mdlalose, Mpendulo Khumalo and Selusiwe Ntuli were in the same vehicle heading home after attending the ANC’s 55th national conference in Nasrec, Johannesburg, when the accident happened.
Mdlalose and Khumalo died, while Ntuli sustained serious injuries.
Mdlalose was the ward 12 councillor and member of the executive committee in the ANC’s Mzala Nxumalo Region in Vryheid. She was also the ANC Women’s League chairperson in the region.
The families were left devastated after the crash.
Speaking to the Daily News on Thursday, Mdlalose’s brother, Vusi, said Mdlalose had planned to use public transport to and from the conference but changed her mind to travel with her colleagues. He said Mdlalose had planned a Christmas party for the elders in the region.
“We were expecting her to be back home in the early hours of Wednesday. But we received the unexpected news. It will take us years to recover from this loss,” he said.
Vusi described Mdlalose as a family person who kept her family and communities united. He said Mdlalose did not want to see people suffer or be troubled. The community had lost a fighter, their helper and go-to person, he said.
“She would use her last cent to help the next person. She played a huge role in youth employment, assisting the elderly and widows including people in general, regardless of their political parties,” Vusi said.
He said Mdlalose used to say: “I’m a leader. They voted for me and I have to help everyone no matter their chosen political party.”
The ANC’s KZN Women’s League provincial task team co-ordinator, Fikile Masiko, said they had lost a pillar of strength in the movement. Masiko said they were shattered by the deaths which had left their members reeling. “Her death has left a gaping hole that will be difficult to fill.
“Returning from the conference is testament to her steadfastness and unyielding commitment to the struggle for the betterment of the lives of our people. She was a soldier who died with her boots on. We dip our revolutionary banner in her honour,” Masiko said.
She said the Women’s League was comforted by the stellar work of Mdlalose, especially her participation in the election of three women as part of the ANC’s national executive committee at the Nasrec conference.
“We are consoled by the fact that, through her struggles and those of many other women, she has ushered in a new era in the life of the ANC.
“What is left for us now is to pick up her spear and fearlessly advance the cause for gender parity, not only in our organisation, but our society as a whole,” said Masiko.
She said the league would announce its programme of action to honour Mdlalose. Funeral arrangements were under way.
The ANC Mzala Nxumalo Region’s secretary, Ntokozo Nxumalo, said the regional leadership and thousands of members of the ANC were sharing the hurt that the families were going through during this difficult time.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele expressed his shock, saying the party leadership was in communication with the leadership of its Mzala Nxumalo Region.
Daily News