- ANC MP Jacqueline Mofokeng has died.
- She died a day after her daughter Thato died.
- The cause of death is still unknown, but the ANC's Gauteng legislature chief whip pointed that the deaths could be related to Covid-19.
ANC MP Jacqueline Mofokeng died on Thursday - a day after the death of her daughter Thato.
In a statement, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina said she received the news of Mofokeng's death on Thursday.
Mofokeng became an MP in the Sixth Parliament in 2019 and served on the Joint Constitutional Review Committee, the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services and the Portfolio Committee on Police.
According to Majodina, Mofokeng took over as the whip of the study group on justice and correctional services after the former ANC MP Hishaam Mohamed died of a heart attack last year.
"Mofokeng's long-standing political career began in the 90s, serving in the Gauteng province ANC Women's League (ANCWL) provincial executive committee (PEC) as the regional secretary of the ANCWL in Tshwane, regional chairperson of [the] ANCWL in Tshwane and was...the spokesperson of the ANCWL PEC in Gauteng.
She also served in the Gauteng legislature for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019, in the portfolio committees of local government, social development, and education," Majodina said. She added that Mofokeng chaired various committees in the Gauteng legislature.
Majodina described Mofokeng as a strong advocate for the liberation of women and the protection of children.
"As the whip of the study group on justice and correctional services, she worked hard to advance the fight for a just society and to change our justice system. For the ANC caucus, this is a great loss. She was a dedicated member who served with dignity, humility and commitment to strengthen the security cluster for the safety and protection of the lives of South Africans. Mofokeng committed herself to work assigned to her until her last day. She died with her boots on," she said.
Mzi Khumalo, ANC chief whip in the Gauteng legislature, said Mofokeng understood that the struggle for national liberation was a struggle against sexism and gender oppression.
"The untimely demise of Jacqui and her daughter Thato is a grim reminder that death is always with us, and we are still in the battle against the invisible enemy called Covid-19. It is with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to an outstanding patriot, a champion for the marginalised and the downtrodden, and the defender of the women and children," he said.
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Khumalo also said she had a distinguished history in the anti-apartheid struggle, an illustrious political life and cut her teeth as a youth and gender activist in Tshwane.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services Bulelani Magwanishe said Mofokeng's death was a double blow for her family.
"We are deeply saddened by this loss. The honourable whip was a dedicated and disciplined member of the committee, who always made valuable contributions to the extremely important work of Parliament. She worked well with all members of this multiparty committee and was always willing to listen and at times take on board the views of opposition parties in the committee in order to ensure thorough oversight work and watertight legislation."