Gauteng Legislature mourns passing of Education committee chairman

The Portfolio Committee Chairperson of Education in the Gauteng Legislature, Joe Mpisi, has passed on.

Mpisi passed on Saturday following a long illness.

Paying tribute to Mpisi, Provincial speaker Ntombi Mekgwe described him as the people’s servant at heart, whose road to politics was influenced by his family background.

“Mpisi hailed from a working class family that has always committed itself to the liberation of South Africans from the three-fold struggle of poverty, inequality and unemployment,” Mekgwe said.

Mpisi served as a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) for almost a decade. He was appointed as an MPL in 2014 and served as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education.

After the appointment of Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and his reconfiguration of the executive members, Mpisi was moved back to the Portfolio Committee of Education from Finance.

Mekgwe said Mpisi demonstrated commitment to his work as Education Committee Chairperson even though he showed signs of ill health.

“His passing comes when Gauteng and South Africa at large desperately need leaders of his calibre and moral fibre, who will find solutions to challenges confronting the country.

“On behalf of the GPL Community, I wish to extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and his political homes, the ANC and SACP”.

According to the communique issued on Saturday evening, details of the memorial service and funeral will be shared after consultation with the family.

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