Durban - The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal is mourning the death of its former provincial chairperson, Mbangiseni Yengwa, who died this week after a long illness.
According to the party’s provincial chairperson, Thami Ntuli, Yengwa died in hospital.
Ntuli described his death as a huge loss and a blow to the party as it prepared to take over the province from the ANC in 2024, saying he left the party at a time when it was growing.
“We are saddened to lose a seasoned leader like Yengwa, who besides being a former provincial chairperson was also party mayor in uMzinyathi District Municipality for two consecutive terms. You will also know that he was a councillor and served in the executive committee in Umvoti Municipality at the time of his death.
“We would like to send our condolences to the family and to the founder of our party, president emeritus Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, for losing such a seasoned leader,” said Ntuli.
He added that he had led the party leadership to visit Yengwa’s family and sent their condolences on Tuesday.
Yengwa died on Monday.
Ntuli said although the family were still busy with funeral arrangements, he believed Yengwa would be buried on the weekend.
Attempts to contact the family were unsuccessful.
Before joining politics on a full-time basis, Yengwa was a teacher in Greytown schools. He resigned to work as a full-time politician while a school principal at Sikhonza High School in KwaMaphumulo.
Daily News