The South African Local Government Association has sent its condolences following the death of Emalahleni Local Municipality Mayor, Linah Malatjie.

The mayor and her husband passed away in hospital following a head-on collision. The accident happened along the R544 road between Gemsbokspruit and Verena in Mpumalanga.

“The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) expresses its sorrow and condolences for the death of Emalahleni Local Municipality Mayor, Councillor Linah Malatjie and her husband, Esau Malatjie, who passed away in a car crash on Monday morning, 3 January 2022,” it said in a statement.

SALGA said the mayor, who was re-elected as the Mayor of Emalahleni Municipality in Mpumalanga following the 1 November 2021 local government elections, made an indelible contribution not only to the communities she served in the municipality but also to the local government sector at large.

“Serving as a member of the SALGA Mpumalanga provincial executive committee (PEC), Mayor Malatjie was an amazing and inspirational leader. Thanks to her rigour, professionalism and immense body of knowledge about local government affairs, which she generously shared, the organisation, municipality and the broader municipal government sector benefited considerably from this, and her passing is a profound loss.”

Malatjie, said the association, will be remembered as a strong and committed leader with a clear vision for Emalahleni, who always kept her door open to her colleagues and local government stakeholders.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula earlier conveyed his condolences  saying he had learnt of her passing with sadness.

“This is yet another tragic passing of South Africans on our roads since the start of the festive season,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency