Richmond Local Municipality Mayor Sibusiso Mchunu dies
'Mchunu suffered a stroke in January 2018 in his office at the Richmond municipality and has been in and out of hospital due to the illness,' said his grieving son.
Richmond Local Municipality Mayor Sibusiso Mchunu. Picture: Twitter / @News24
Richmond Local Municipality Mayor Sibusiso Mchunu died in the early hours of Thursday morning, his son Manqoba Mchunu said.
“The Mchunu family wishes to announce that Mr Sibusiso Joseph Mchunu, the Mayor of Richmond Local Municipality, has passed away peacefully in hospital in the early hours of the morning. Mr Mchunu suffered a stroke in January 2018 in his office at the Richmond municipality and has been in and out of hospital due to the illness,” said the grieving son.
He said Mchunu was a long-serving member of the ANC and “had dedicated his entire life to the service of the people of South Africa”.
“He had served in different capacities in the African National Congress and its government, until he was deployed as the Mayor of Richmond Municipality since the 2016 elections. He was an activist and a servant of the people.”
Manqoba advised that Covid-19 protocols will be strictly followed “during this difficult time of mourning”.
“The family wishes to thank everyone who supported and wished Mr Mchunu well during his period of illness. Funeral details will be announced in due course.”
Speaking to News24, Manqoba said the family was hurt at losing their patriarch.
“I thought I was strong and I allowed the family to nominate me to speak. To be honest, I am not feeling as strong as I thought I would be. Indeed dad is a public figure, but besides him being a public figure, he is a father to me and my siblings. We are all very heartbroken.”
He said his father also cared deeply for his community.
“He has been a father to the community at large. Many people sit and say ‘I am something because of what has been done for me because of Mr Mchunu’,” Manqoba said about his father.
“The organisation is currently facing a lot of challenges. The ANC has lost one of the few that has always had integrity,” he added.
“I am a grown man, I am 34 years old, but I always cried by him whenever I encountered a problem. I am not the only one. People older than me cry to him. He was kind and generous. We will sorely miss him. But the community at large will surely miss him as well.”
Manqoba added: “The family was very united because of him. He was a unifier.”
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