Gauteng Legislature chair Lindiwe Lasindwa passes away
The Ekurhuleni region of the African National Congress has learnt with great shock of the passing of Lindiwe Lasindwa, member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
News of her passing was shared on Monday morning, August 2, after the ANC Ekurhuleni Caucus confirmed in a statement.
She was the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development.
Lasindwa joined the provincial legislature back in 2006, making her one of the longest serving politicians in the province.
“Honorable Lasindwa joined the Gauteng Legislature in 2006 and served as a member of the portfolio committees of Education, and Public Transport, Roads and Works and the standing committee for Gender, Youth, and People with Disabilities (GEYODI).
In 2009, Hon. Lasindwa was appointed as the chairperson of GEYODI due to her passion about issues concerning the rights of women and the disadvantaged people in society. And under her leadership, Hon. Lasindwa set up a task team at the Legislature to conduct a study on the accessibility of people with disabilities into the legislature building which resulted in infrastructure upgrades to cater for people with disabilities.
She also advocated for these issues to be mainstreamed in all areas of the economy and workplace. She served on many of the committees of the Legislature over the years including the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and as chairperson of the portfolio committee on Infrastructure Development where she was very passionate about the enforcing of the 30 days payment policy of the government that was aimed at ensuring that contractors were paid within the stipulated 30 days to avoid delays in service delivery.
In 2016, she became the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Infrastructure Development.
Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Honourable Ntombi Mekgwe, has passed her condolences on behalf of the institution.
“We wish to extend our deepest condolences to Hon. Lasindwa’s family, colleagues, comrades and friends. Hon. Lasindwa passing is a great loss to the struggle for the emancipation and empowerment of women, youth and people with disabilities.
Her dedication and diligence were attested in the role that she played as a member of the Multi Party Women’s Caucus where she championed the interests of women within the parliamentary caucus across the country. She was a truly dedicated member of the Legislature who served the people of Gauteng with passion and great commitment. May her revolutionary soul rest in perfect peace!” said the Speaker.
She is a resident of Kwa-Thema, located on the east side of Ekurhuleni. Her political career started locally when she served as a ward councilor in the City of Ekurhuleni.
Convener of the Ekurhuleni ANC Womens Caucus, Councillor Nozipho Mabuza has described the late Lasindwa as a dedicated and outstanding comrade who genuinely carried her work with distinction.
“Comrade Lasindwa was undoubtedly a grounded cadre who grew up humbly in Kwa-Thema with a solid and clear theoretical foundation of what it meant to serve under the banner of the ANC. We have lost a Woman of Note, a mother, a sister and an activist with an impeccable record of contribution and with unquestionable loyalty to her movement, the ANC, a movement she served until the end,” said Mabuza.
The ANC in Ekurhuleni has passed its sincerest condolences to family and friends of Lasindwa.
Details regarding her passing are yet to be made public.