Sassa provincial head killed in car accident, daughter unharmed

THE Eastern Cape provincial head of the South African Social Security Agency, Sakhumzi Yawa, died on Sunday evening in a car accident on the Ncera access road near the R72.

Provincial transport spokeswoman Khuselwa Rantjie said Yawa was driving with his 11-year-old-daughter when his Mercedes-Benz E-Class overturned on the gravel road.

“It was around 7pm when the incident happened. Yawa was declared dead on the spot. His daughter escaped the accident unharmed and is now home with her family,” Rantjie said.

Yawa’s devastated brother, Port Elizabeth-based Gcobani Maswana, yesterday confirmed the death.

Maswana, a Social Development spokesman, said: “I’m on my way to East London to find out what happened. It’s as if I’m dreaming. This can’t be true. Yhini ubhuti [Oh my brother!].”

Sassa provincial spokesman Thami Sigenu said everyone at the office was devastated and shocked by the death of their boss.

Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi said Yawa’s death was a great loss to the province.

“The social development department has lost a valuable partner in the service of caring for the vulnerable people.

“Yawa was among the architects of social policy directives in the department, before he joined Sassa,” Sihlwayi said.

“The service to pay social grants on time, to the right person, in the Eastern Cape was led by him. The province has lost a loyal manager in a moment of need, where our vulnerable sectors in society are under siege.”

Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana sent condolences to the Yawa family and his colleagues at Sassa.

His untimely death had robbed the Eastern Cape of one of its great administrators, she said.