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Cllr Tshifhiwa Joyce Raluswinga. Photo supplied.

Thulamela residents mourn death of Cllr Raluswinga

 

The community of Thulamela Local Municipality, together with the family and friends of Tshifhiwa Joyce Raluswinga, is in mourning, following her untimely death.

Raluswinga (55) passed away in the early hours of Monday after a short illness.

According to the mayor of Thulamela, Cllr Avhashoni Tshifhango, Raluswinga passed away at a private clinic in Polokwane at around 02:00, hardly two hours after she was admitted while she was complaining about a problem with her ear.

Raluswinga, who has just retained her position as a full-time councillor in Mayor Tshifhango’s council after the latest reshuffle made on May 29, was last seen in public on Friday, June 7, at Thohoyandou Town Hall during the presentation of the budget speech by the mayor. Many of her colleagues and friends who saw her at Friday’s event expressed shock about her death because “she was in a jolly mood, with no sign of illness.’

Giving his comment to Limpopo Mirror, Tshifhango said he was devastated and heartbroken about the sad news. “As a municipality, we are very touched about this death. I know people says death can strike anytime, but this one touched me more because of the way it happened.  When I spoke to her on Friday, she seemed very fine.  A day before that, last Thursday, she was very happy when we went to visit Cllr Malindi at his home in Thohoyandou, as he was not feeling well.  I am speechless,” said Tshifhango.

He urged fellow councillors and all employees of Thulamela to work hard in delivering services to the people in honour of Raluswinga.

Raluswinga, a former teacher, was a councillor at the former Mutale Municipality before she joined Thulamela in 2016 as an exco member, heading community services.  She had just been deployed to head corporate services when Tshifhango re-shuffled his exco two weeks ago.

Raluswinga was born on 7 May 1964.  She passed her matric at Thengwe High School before she went to Makhado College of Education to study for a Primary Teaching Diploma. 

She studied for a BA at the University of Pretoria, did a BEd Honours in Education Management, Law and Policy at the same institution. She also had two computer certificates from Ramaano Mbulaheni Training Centre and the University of Venda.

She also received certificates in Local Economic Development from the South African Institute of Learning, Councillor Development Practice from University of Pretoria and Monitoring and Evaluation for Public Sector.

She taught at Tshanzhe, Magiledzhi and Bashasha Primary, where she was a head of department from 2006 until 2011, when she became a councillor at Mutale Local Municipality.

Raluswinga was a member of SADTU and a member of the Civic Association at her home village of Maheni.  She was also an active member of the ANC, holding several positions.

A memorial service was held in her honour yesterday, Thursday, at her home in Maheni.  She will be buried tomorrow (Saturday).

 

News - Date: 14 June 2019

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Ndivhuwo Musetha

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