The chief executive of the National House of Traditional Leaders, Malungisa Gobe, has died in a car accident in Zimbabwe.
Two other members of the House, spokesperson Sibusiso Nkosi and North West chairperson Chief ME Mabi, were injured in the accident on Wednesday, as was a Zimbabwean national travelling with them.
Expressing shock at Gobe’s death, Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi conveyed the government’s condolences to the House and his family.
”Mr Gobe’s death takes place at the time when government and the institution of traditional leadership is working hard to restore the dignity of the institution, whose credibility has been destroyed by successive colonial and apartheid regimes,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
”It happens at a crucial time for the National House of Traditional Leaders, when his leadership and input is needed to help facilitate the finalisation of provincial specific pieces of legislation to make sure that the institution’s dignity is finally restored, and that it occupies its rightful place in society.”
Gobe, Nkosi and Mabi were part of a delegation on a land-restitution fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe.
According to Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa, they arrived in Zimbabwe on Tuesday at the invitation of Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo.
Nkosi and Mabi were airlifted to a hospital in Harare after the accident.
Department of Provincial and Local Government spokesperson Xolani Xundu said the two were discharged on Thursday.
Nkosi had injuries to his back and shoulder and Mabi to his back and leg.
Mamoepa said the accident happened about 80km from Masvingo. The group was travelling there from Bulawayo when a tyre burst. — Sapa