The family of former minister Jackson Mthembu, who died last year, has suffered another blow after news of his wife, Thembi’s death filtered through on Thursday morning.
A member of the Mthembu family confirmed the matriarch’s death.
It is understood that Mthembu had been battling a long-term illness and eventually succumbed to it on Thursday morning at a hospital in Gauteng.
Mthembu was a registered nurse at a local clinic.
One thing about Jackson Mthembu he loved he’s wife and he’s children
Hearing the passing of he’s wife was a shock pic.twitter.com/5bEbAot8dY
Her death follows that of her husband, who died as a result of complications arising from Covid-19 in January last year at the age of 62. He was laid to rest at his hometown of Emalahleni in Mpumalanga.
Mthembu was the Minister in the Presidency at the time of his death. He had tested positive for Covid-19 on January 11 after showing some symptoms and died two weeks later due to complications.
The family member, who confirmed the matriarch’s death, said the family were still reeling from the sudden loss of the former minister, and his death weighed heavily on Thembi.
“She was admitted to hospital a week or so ago. We were worried because it brought back bad memories for us, as you would recall, Jackson died in hospital last year,” the family member said.
Tributes to the former minister poured in earlier this year as January 21 marked one year since his passing.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said at that time: “On the first anniversary of Minister Jackson Mthembu’s passing, our thoughts are with his family, and we warmly remember this exemplary leader, activist and life-long champion of freedom and democracy.”