The politician-turned-businessman and former chief executive officer of Elim hospital, Mr Lufuno Mulaudzi (42) of Mandala, was finally laid to rest during a funeral attended by the Premier of Limpopo, Mr Sello Moloto, last Sunday at Mandala graveyard.

The bereaved family’s spokesperson, Mr Tom Dagada, said that the deceased was discovered by his wife on Monday afternoon dead with a rope around his neck. According to Dagada, the late Mulaudzi was found hanging in the bathroom of his house at Mandala. “We are still shocked and terrified by this painful suicide. We used to regard him as our pillar; he was always solving our problems. It is difficult to understand that Lufuno could end his life in this way. He was a visionary and the family's transport business’s strategic thinker,” said Dagada.

He further claimed that Lufuno looked uneasy over the weekend. “I noticed that he was so quiet, but he never revealed that there was something troubling him,” he said.

Lufuno officially resigned as the CEO of Elim hospital on March 31 this year, weeks after he had recovered from a serious accident. He left the hospital to focus on his family's transport business.When Elim hospital received more platinum awards from the Premier' s office last year for its contribution to exceptional service delivery, Lufuno began to be known as the 'platinum' CEO.

He is survived by his wife, a teacher at Nngweni Secondary School, his parents and four children.

Although Lufuno was already laid to rest on Sunday, more people are expected to attend a memorial service to be held at his household this afternoon (Friday) at Mandala at 14:00.

The municipal manager of the Makhado Municipality, Ms Faith Muthambi, extended her condolences to the bereaved family. She indicated that, as a municipality, they would sorely miss the good working relationship and support they were receiving from Lufuno in terms of developing communities. The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Joe Maswanganyi, as well as the MEC for Education, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, attended the funeral.