Speaker pays tribute to late ANC councillor Radebe
26 May 2017
The City of Johannesburg’s Speaker of Council, Cllr Vasco da Gama, paid tribute to African National Congress (ANC) councillor Sydney Radebe, who died of a suspected heart attack at his Johannesburg home on Sunday, May 21.
Speaking ahead of the approval by council of the 2017-2018 Budget on Thursday, May 25, Cllr Da Gama said the late Ward 24 councillor would be sorely missed. He described him as “a true servant of the people who dedicated his life to serving and uplifting his community”.
Cllr Da Gama said Radebe’s death was not only a loss to his family, but also to the community he served and the council.
“After receiving the shocking news of the sudden death of Cllr Radebe, I sat and reflected [on it] and questions raced through my mind. How does one deal with the news of the sudden death of [a colleague] who was not killed, not involved in an accident or was sick?
“What will help us all is to learn how to find healing. Grieving is challenging but it is our thoughts that often add suffering to our pain. When people think of a loss, the idea of finding meaning or anything beneficial from it seems contradictory. But whether it is a breakup, divorce or even death, there is more to be found depending on how one handles it,” he said.
The Speaker said Cllr Radebe should be remembered as someone who sacrificed immensely for his people and urged his comrades, friends and relatives to uphold his legacy.
“I’d like to say that the pain that the Radebe family is experiencing is also our pain in the City of Johannesburg. It’s very sad indeed that someone we knew is no more,” he said.
Cllr Radebe will be buried on Saturday May 27. His passing comes after the death of another ANC councillor, Stompie Mthembu, who collapsed during the inauguration of the new council in August last year and died shortly afterwards.
Cllr Lorraine Sedite, 51, an educationist and a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), died in March after being diagnosed with cancer in December.