Speaker after speaker spoke highly of the good works Robert Ndou had done during his short life during his funeral at Buluni on Saturday. He was an ANC ward councilor in the Thulamela Municipality.

The high-profile funeral was attended by several ANC leaders and thousands of community members. The funeral came after the death of the well-loved councilor, who had been suffering from an undisclosed illness for a long time. The death of Ndou (42) has left the whole municipality and the local community in deep mourning.

Messages of condolence poured in during the emotional funeral. The mayor of Thulamela, Khosi-Vho Thivhulawi Makumbane, who was overcome with grief, told mourners that Ndou’s death was a sad blow to the municipality, as he formed what Makumbane termed the core of the municipality as he contributed to many committees at the municipality.

He encouraged the family to put everything in the hands of God and to believe in the power of prayer.

The provincial deputy-chairperson of the ANC, Mr Dickson Masemola, who has since been deployed to the provincial legislature, said Ndou had contributed a lot to what the ANC is today. He said it was sad for the organization to lose one of its tested members whom the organization was nurturing for important positions. “We expected much from him and we will always remember him for his immense contribution,” he said.

Mr Solly Ndou, the deceased’s elder brother, said the family had lost a good man who fought for the rights of the people of the country. “My brother was a uniting figure in the family and we are just sad that he died when we least expected it. We were still awaiting many things from him; he will be sorely missed,” he said.

Ndou was born on July 7, 1967, and started his primary school education at Tshaulu Tshilaphala village. He completed his primary education at Tshaulu Primary School and proceeded to do his secondary education at Tondalushaka Secondary School. After Grade 12, Ndou went to Tshisimani to study for his teacher’s training where he was elected as president of the SRC.

He completed his teacher’s training in 1989 and started his teaching career at Tshipise Primary School. From Tshipise, he proceeded to Makuleke Primary School, where he was active in the Love Life project. His determination to work for his community did not go unnoticed as he was soon appointed HOD at Vondwe Primary School in 2006. At the time of his death, he was employed as a manager at SASSA.

His leadership qualities led to his election as the chairperson of the Buluni Civic Association and the whole of Tshaulu village. He rose through the ranks of the organization and became the secretary of Musununu ANC branch and was also deployed as Ward 2 councillor under the Thulamela municipality. At the time of his death, he was the chairperson of the ANC branch.

Ndou is survived by two wives. He had seven children, one of whom had passed away.