The deputy mayor of Buffalo City, which includes East London, collapsed and died in his office on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
Colleagues heard a noise in 49-year-old Des Halley’s office at the end of a day packed with meetings, and on investigation found that he had collapsed, Darby Gounden said.
An ambulance was summoned but Halley died of a suspected heart attack shortly after 5pm.
”It happened so quickly,” said Gounden, confirming that Halley had resigned on Monday to go into the private sector.
”He was so lively. It is such a loss. He was involved in terms of export and he was involved in economically growing the city,” she said.
She said mayor Sindisile Maclean was ”taking it very badly”.
Halley had been deputy mayor since 1995. — Sapa