State security deputy minister Zizi Kodwa has called out Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane for not wearing a mask at the funeral of late minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu.
Kodwa said the premier’s actions were an insult to Mthembu’s memory, as he had encouraged people to adhere to government’s Covid-19 regulations.
Kodwa was speaking at a virtual memorial service that the ANC organised for Mthembu on Monday.
He paid tribute to Mthembu, saying he had been his mentor in communication.
He described him as a man who told the truth even when it did not suit the ANC.
“That is why today we would have failed his legacy if we were to beat around the bush about the very unacceptable behaviour of the premier of Mpumalanga, ironically during Jackson Mthembu’s send-off yesterday, when she disregarded the regulations on wearing masks to combat the spread of Covid-19,” said Kodwa.
He said he would have “failed” if he didn’t tell the truth — “even when it was in fact a bitter pill to swallow even in the ANC”.
He said what had been painful for many people who followed the funeral on TV was that Mthembu had not only been at the forefront of advocating the importance of adhering to the Covid-19 regulations but had also ironically succumbed to the disease.
