Durban — The KwaDukuza Local Municipality, in conjunction with the ANC regional leadership, will hold a memorial for the departed deputy mayor Thulani 'Mbazo' Ntuli on Wednesday.
A short statement issued by the party regional secretary Siphesihle Zulu indicated the memorial service would take place at Thembeni sports field at 3pm on Wednesday and would be laid to rest on Thursday.
Zulu added that although not yet confirmed, but the provincial and national executive committee members were expected to attend, including newly appointed Public Works Minister Sihle Zikalala, who is from the region. Zikalala, the former KwaZulu-Natal premier, is from Ndwedwe Local Municipality, which forms part of Ilembe District Municipality as well as General Gizenga Mpanza region.
Furthermore, Zulu announced that the funeral service would take place at Ntuli's birth township of Ngwelezane outside Empangeni's north coast of the province on Thursday. Zulu also said the family was yet to inform him and the party about the cause of the deputy mayor's death, adding for now, all he knew was that he collapsed and died.
Ntuli died in hospital after being rushed from the municipality offices in Chief Albert Luthuli Street, where he had collapsed last week.
The deputy mayor had just returned from the event where he officially introduced the contractor that was appointed to repair the Mbozana River bridge, which collapsed last year during severe floods, which left a trail of destruction and death in parts of the province.
Sources said Ntuli was walking towards a bank in the town and was seen holding his chest before collapsing, suggesting that he may have had a heart problem. Those who were with him during the event said he appeared fine and showed no sign of any illness.
Apart from being the town’s deputy mayor, the 49-year-old was also a regional treasurer. He was elected at a conference in 2021 and was appointed deputy mayor after local government elections later that year.
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