Johannesburg – The SACP in Gauteng has paid tribute to ANC MP and former Ekurhuleni mayor Duma Moses Nkosi, who succumbed to cancer on Thursday night.
SACP provincial secretary Jacob Mamabolo said in a statement they learned with shock and sadness of his death.
“We are indeed saddened and devastated that he passes away at the time when his wisdom and expertise to rebuild our revolutionary movement were most needed,” Mamabolo said, before extending condolences to his family, comrades and friends.
“Comrade Duma was not an ordinary member, but held in high esteem within and beyond the revolutionary circles of the ANC-headed national liberation movement as a stalwart,” he said.
Nkosi, who was an SACP provincial executive committee member, was an ANC MP and served as the chairperson of trade and industry portfolio committee at the time of his death.
He was among a crop of MPs elected to the inaugural Parliament in 1994.
Nkosi served as the executive mayor of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality from 2001 until 2008, before returning to the National Assembly two years ago.
The former Gauteng MPL and senior civil servant in the Department of Economic Development, was previously the chairperson of the South African Local Government Association in Gauteng.
Prior to this, he served as first president of the South African Commercial Catering Workers Union.
“In all these positions, comrade Duma’s praxis was guided by the Marxist-Leninist theory and as such was not shy to expose and, where necessary, confront capitalist exploitation.
“Even this was done with the utmost care and love for the people,” Mamabolo said.
He also said in his honour, the SACP would be determined to advance by building a popular left front that will confront the multiple crises facing South Africa such as the intractable high levels of unemployment, poverty, inequality.
“We will invoke Comrade Duma’s memory while drinking from the fountain of the wisdom he left us to remind ourselves of the battles that lie ahead towards the full transformation of our society, particularly in building sustainable communities – one area that he dedicated his life to,” Mamabolo added.
Political Bureau