Servant of the people Loliwe a tragic loss

TRIBUTES poured in yesterday following the car crash death of ANC member of parliament Fezeka Loliwe.

Loliwe, 51, died when her car left the R63 near Fort Hare University’s Alice campus while driving to East London to catch a flight on Monday afternoon. She had just overtaken a car when she inexplicably, at this stage, lost control as she returned to her lane and plunged down an embankment.

Parliament’s presiding officers – Speaker Baleka Mbete of the national assembly and chairperson Thandi Modise of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), issued a statement saying they were shocked and still finding it hard to believe.

Loliwe served as chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Labour and was returning from attending to constituency work in Fort Beaufort when she crashed.

She is the third MP to die this year in a car crash.

They said the Frankfurt-born former teacher was one of the bright stars that served South Africa with faithfulness and passion.

“She was one of the most exemplary members of parliament – a dedicated and hardworking servant who derived immense joy from making a difference in the lives of South Africans.

“Widely loved for her kindness and humility, Ms Loliwe was also respected for her sharp mind and her uncompromising, fearless and probing style of oversight over those who appear before parliament.

“Like a true soldier, she died in the line of duty, doing what she loved most: building strong connections between parliament and the people,” said the officers.

“Her passing has robbed parliament and the people of South Africa of a remarkable, humble and dedicated public representative who always went beyond the call of duty in the fulfilment of her parliamentary responsibilities,” their statement read.

ANC provincial spokesman Gift Ngqodi echoed similar sentiments, saying the news came as a shock. “It’s a sad loss to the alliance, especially Sadtu, where she started her political career.

“She was truly a reservoir of political knowledge, whose immense contribution to debates both within the structures of the ANC, SACP and Cosatu will be sorely missed. Sisi Fezeka Loliwe was one of the best our revolutionary movement has ever produced,” said Ngqodi.

Loliwe was a former provincial secretary of Sadtu, and its deputy president before joining the ANC as its deployee in the National Assembly in 2014.

She was first elected to the South African Communist Party’s central committee in July 2012. At the time of her death she was serving her second term as a member of the SACP central committee following her reelection at the party’s 14th Congress held in July 2017.

SACP national spokesman Alex Mashilo said the party lowered its flag to half-mast in memory of “the stalwart of our national democratic revolution and the struggle for socialism.

“In memory of comrade Fezeka Loliwe, a labour movement and gender transformation activist, the SACP will deepen its programme on both fronts against labour exploitation and patriarchal domination towards complete liberation and social emancipation,” he said.

Mashilo said they would announce memorial and funeral service dates after consultation with the family and parliament.