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HomeHeadlinesGxilishe’s passing has sent shockwaves in our movement- Mabuyane

Gxilishe’s passing has sent shockwaves in our movement- Mabuyane

Speaking at the memorial service organized by the Provincial Executive Committee, ANC Provincial Chairman Oscar Mabuyane said Bongani Gxilishe’s passing had sent shockwaves in our movement. “It has numbed us, and we are short of words to describe the sense of loss we feel.”

Gxilishe, who passed away on Friday the 16th July Gxilishe from Covid-19 complications on Friday, was the Head of Department (HOD) at the Gauteng Department of CoGTA.

He previously led the departments of public works and economic development, environmental affairs, and tourism in the Eastern Cape.

Today we join the masses of our people in wishing strength and comfort the Gxilishe family and the friends of uMthembu in this time of grief. The outpouring of love and shared grief by millions of our people across the country indicates clearly that we have lost a man amongst men. 

Mabuyane applauded his friends and comrades who early in the week organised a virtual memorial service attended by more than 500 people. “ his friends, the people he grew up with, studied with and worked within our movement and in the public administration of our country told beautiful stories about the life of comrade Gxilishe” he said.

“There is a unanimous view in our movement that we have lost one of the finest cadres of our organisation who was moulded in student movement politics. It is in student movement politics where he developed his considerable skills such as communication skills, mobilising skills, critical thinking skills, and more importantly, a servant attitude,” said Mabuyane.

He said Gxilishe was only 29 years old when he was given the responsibility of being the provincial secretary, chosen among competent leaders who were old and were seniors who had just returned from exile 

Praising his role as a public administrator, he said Mthembu as he was affectionately known, was modest and prudent, was never arrogant and impetuous. He was imbued with the spirit of self–criticism and had the courage to correct mistakes and shortcomings in his work. He never covered up his errors and claim all the credit for himself and shift all the blame to others; true to what Amilcar Cabral once said, tell no lies and claim no easy victories.

“I was privileged to work with him in the last eight months of the 5th administration. I served as his MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, and Tourism. He showed me unparalleled humility and incredible respect, as senior as he was to me.” he said. 

He said the ANC was poorer without Gixilishe. The public service has lost an incredible professional. But he leaves us with a rich legacy of upstanding values that we can emulate to renew the ANC, and make South Africa and our province a better place to live in. 

Gxilishe will be buried in Gqeberha on July 23.

The funeral will be broadcast on Mpuma Kapa TV and live-streamed on the Mpuma Kapa TV Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Caleb Tayi
Caleb Tayi
I'm a critical reader and a lover of words. As the ECToday Editor my job is to polish and refine a story or an article, check facts, spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.
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