Nombembe to be buried in home village

A DATE has been set for the funeral of ANC Youth League member and businessman Sive Nombembe who, together with his friend Yanga Dudula, died tragically on Saturday morning.

The Mercedes-Benz Nombembe and Dudula were travelling in collided with a horse and two-trailer truck on the N2 between East London and Butterworth. Their vehicle caught alight and the two men died on the scene.

Nombembe family spokesman, former football referee Ace Ncobo, said the young businessman would be buried at his home in Zazulwana Village, Butterworth September 25.

According to Mdantsane police spokesman Captain Nkosikho Mzuku, the accident took place between Komgha and East London.

Ncobo said the two politicians were driving from Butterworth to a business meeting in East London.

Mzuku said a case of culpable homicide was being investigated by the Blue Water police. “The cause of the accident is still unknown; the investigation continues.”

Ncobo said: “We would like to appeal to the public and the media to give us space in order to mourn our beloved family member. A statement will be released at a later stage.” on Monday

The family was too traumatised to speak to the media. “At this stage we can only confirm that the accident happened and the funeral will be held on the Monday.”

Social media was abuzz over the weekend with some prematurely claiming that the crash was “mysterious” and not an accident.

Nombembe was the provincial secretary of Progressive Youth in Business in the Eastern Cape.

Ncobo said Nombembe had asked to be relieved of all his duties in the youth league after charges of fraud were levelled at him.

At the time of his death Nombembe was the subject of a Hawks probe into allegations that his company fraudulently won a lucrative tender worth more than R10-million to supply Mnquma municipality with refuse bags in 2015.

The ANC’s Eastern Cape structure sent condolences to Nombembe’s family. ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said Nombembe was a hard-working and energetic man.

Mabuyane also called on the public to refrain from making unfounded statements on social media about Nombembe’s death.

“We are all shocked and saddened by the incident but also we can’t have people playing detectives, prosecutors and judges while sitting in their homes because this fuels unnecessary tension.”—