ANC Member of Parliament has died

ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson has died. She was 59 years old. The ruling party chief whip Pemmy Majodina confirmed on Monday that Joemat-Pettersson died at her house.

Joemat-Pettersson, was an ANC MP and former minister of energy under former president Jacob Zuma’s presidency. The chief whip Pemmy Majodina confirmed the news and stated that Joemat-Pettersson’s family had informed her sons about her passing.

At the time of her death, Joemat-Pettersson was the chairperson of the national assembly’s police portfolio committee and was also serving in the section 194 committee conducting an inquiry into suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office. Further details are not yet available.

Mkhwebane’s husband, Mandla Skosana, has officially handed over all the WhatsApp messages between him and Joemat-Pettersson to support his claim that three members of parliament tried to extort a R600 000 bribe from him.

Skosana opened a criminal case three weeks ago at OR Tambo International airport police station alleging that Joemat-Pettersson, and Pemmy Majodina and the chairperson of the section 194 inquiry, Richard Dyantyi, solicited a bribe from him to “manipulate or make the inquiry” against his wife go away.

Several reports, have now confirmed that Joemat-Pettersson has died.

“She is no more, her family has confirmed she has passed away. I spoke to her sons as they are the ones who informed me about her passing. I don’t have further details for now”. Majodina said.

The former minister has been embroiled in several controversies throughout her time in office, including her role in a failed nuclear deal and the travel gate saga. She lost out on becoming the first deputy secretary-general of the ANC to Nomvula Mokonyane at the ANC 55th national elective conference which was held last year in December.

However, she had been nominated for a top six position in the upcoming ANC Women’s League conference.