SOUTH AFRICA MOURN THE PASSING OF SIWELA
By Thulane Madalane
Bushbuckridge: On Thursday people of South Africa learned about the passing of the Member of Parliament Violet Sizani Siwela after spending few days in the Intensive Care Unit. Born in Bushbuckridge 67 years ago, Siwela spent almost three decades as a teacher and primary school principal in Mpumalanga.
Siwela served Mpumalanga Provincial and Local Government in various capacities, She entered politics as a ward councillor for the ANC in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality in 2000 and joined the provincial legislature in 2005. Between 2005 and 2019, she held a range of positions in the legislature, including as a member of the Mpumalanga Executive Council under the then Premier David Mabuza: she was Member of the Executive Council for Agriculture from 2013 to 2014 and Member of the Executive Council for Human Settlements from 2014 to 2016. Later, she served as Speaker of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature from March 2018 until May 2019. She was elected to the National Assembly in the 2019 general election.
Her political party African National Congress, described Siwela as someone who has left an inedible mark to the political landscape of South African politics “ It is with deep sorrow and profound sadness that we have learned about the passing of one of the dedicated leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), Comrade Violet Sizani Siwela. she dedicated her life to the service of the people of South Africa leaving an indelible mark on the political landscape.”
Democratic Alliance Leader in Mpumalanga and the Member of Provincial Legislature Ms Jane Sithole described Siwela as the true compatriot “ The Democratic Alliance in Mpumalanga extends our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family of Violet Siwela MP, and to the African National Congress, who have lost a true compatriot. She will be remembered for dedicating her life to improving the lives of others. In the five years that I served with Violet Siwela when she was the Speaker of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, she was always impartial when presiding over the house. We honour her steadfast commitment to building a peaceful and prosperous nation.” Said Sithole
Current Speaker of Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature Ms Makhosazane Masilela passed her condolences to her predecessor,” On behalf of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature community, we send the deepest of condolences to the Siwela family, colleagues in Parliament, the African National Congress (ANC), the people of Mpumalanga Province and all those who enjoyed the experience and privilege to work with this exemplary servant of our people. She was committed to ensuring the Legislature is relevant and capable of responding to the interests and aspirations of ordinary people.” said Masilela.
National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo issued a joint statement showering Siwela with praises for the sterling job she did for the country,” Siwela was a passionate lawmaker who was committed to the emancipation of the majority of poor South Africans. The last time Siwela appeared in Parliament was on Monday last week where she informed the members of her committee about the state of her health.” said in statement.
Siwela leaves a legacy of selflessness, hard work, commitment, integrity and a lifelong champion of social justice. Her noble contribution shall inspire the current and future generations of activists and community leaders to pick up this baton and march forward.
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