Nkewu’s life one of service
KGAKGAMATSO JEANETTE NKEWU BORN: May 27 1972 DIED: July 7 2016 FUNERAL: Molelema Sports ground, Taung BURIAL: July 16 2016
SINCE the untimely passing of comrade Kgakgamatso Jeanette Nkewu, we can best describe the pain by borrowing the words of Earl Spencer when paying tribute to his late sister, Princess Diana: “We will all feel cheated always that you were taken from us so young and yet we must learn to be grateful that you came along at all.
“Only now that you are gone do we truly appreciate what we are now without and we want you to know that life without you is very, very difficult.”
We first felt the difficulty described by Earl Spencer a day after the sad passing of comrade Kgakgamatso, when for the first time we had to convene a special executive council meeting to discuss an item about her, without her.
This meeting was difficult because it was the first time in 22 years that a North West provincial executive council [of the ANC] was convened to discuss and consider an item about a serving member who died while in office.
We feel cheated that death has inscribed this unenviable historical reality in our government records. But we are grateful that we afforded Nkewu the opportunity to serve her people.
She defied her simple rural upbringing in Molelema village in Taung to rise to the apex of ANC and government leadership.
Her biography tells an inspiring tale of organic development within and from all structures of the movement, from her time as a student activist in the SA National Civic Organisation, the ANC Youth League and Women’s League, until her election to serve in government as social development MEC.
Comrade Kgakgamatso was a child of the ANC who possessed and demonstrated deep understanding of the ANC culture, its policies and processes.
The totality of her background in the movement and recorded history of discipline and selfless service to the ANC and the people, determined her deployment path.
In the brief time that she served as MEC, she touched many lives, in particular those of children living with disabilities, the aged and farm children across the province.
But she was equally a strong character who stood her ground, never afraid to defend and own up to ANC decisions, however unpopular they may have been.
Our condolences go to the Nkewu and Morwagaswe families, her husband, children, the ANC and entire community of Taung, and Molelema village in particular.