The former editor of Capricorn Voice, Mr Stephen Mbedzi (34), was laid to rest at Biaba-Nzhelele last Saturday.

Mbedzi recently passed away after a short illness in a hospital in Polokwane.

According to an official of the DA, Mr Arnold Mashie, Mbedzi was a reliable member of the DA, who was fighting against corruption. “He was a man of talent".

The deputy chairperson of the party, Ms Thelma Marole, said that Mbedzi joined the DA less than 20 months ago, "and he did a wonderful job in the legislature. We have lost a hero, a man who understood the mission and vision of the DA. He was a man of character," said Marole.

Mr Victor Makhura, the leader of the Garena tenants in Polokwane, where Mbedzi lived, said Garena would never be the same. “Mbedzi was always at the forefront in many tugs-of-war in order for the tenants to have good living conditions. The wound created by his death will take time to heal."

The deputy editor of Capricorn Voice, Mr Godfrey Mandiwana, said the journalism industry would not be the same without Mbezi. “He was such a remarkable journalist, who could capture ordinary things in an unusual manner. He did his work diligently and not for the love of monetary rewards. It is rare to find people with work passion of Mbezi’s caliber. He was a guiding light to many young people who wanted to pursue a career in journalism."