I have written a formal letter to the leadership of the National Freedom Party and the family of my sister, a very reliable leader and  President Zanele Magwaza-Msibi.

I wrote the letter with deep sadness because due to circumstances beyond my control I won’t be able to attend both the memorial service and her funeral service.

I have been informed that the memorial service will take place in Ulundi tomorrow – few meters away from the Ulundi Legislative Chambers, a place where we often met as we performed our official duties.

Since receiving the news of her untimely departure, I have been reflecting on the special moments I shared with her.

I remember fondly her rare will power of transfusing her own indomitable energy and courage into all who served under her.

Importantly, leaders of different sectors of society including myself admired her because of her happy demeanour despite all odds stuck against her.

She lived a remarkable political life - one that inspired women and men alike. It was her broad interests in the welfare of the downtrodden that endeared her in the hearts of millions of people – especially those in the rural areas and the townships.

In my previous deployment as a councillor, Speaker of eThekwini Municipality and later as the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, I interacted with her on many occasions – especially  in her capacity as a Councillor and Mayor of Zululand District Municipality respectively.

She pursued her work diligently and always rose to meet challenges that hampered service delivery.

She was a champion of women empowerment and encouraged women to take their rightful places in society.

She was a true representative of the people and understood that being a public representative meant selfless dedication to service - always being approachable and treating all people fairly and equally. Despite being a leader of another political party, she always co-operated with me and my office. She never missed meetings and was always punctual.

She was never consumed by trappings of power. She understood that the authority we both wielded over massive resources had to bring about a better life for the people of this province.

Although we both maintained a professional relationship for a very long time, we began to share acts of sisterly love and kindness. It was through the Grace of God that we often bumped into each other outside formal settings - especially when we were fulfilling our roles as mothers.

It is such moments that I remember vividly. She demonstrated her deep love for her family. Her belief in the family as an institution made me realize that indeed really good mothers make really good leaders.

This is because mothers have the ability to nurture. They build a solid team – they see your potential and they build on your strengths, not your fears.

Sisi Zanele was a very strong woman who had the ability to see light even in the darkness.

Her thirst and yearning for the total freedom of the ordinary members of society will continue to inspire us to rise against all odds to attain a true equal society.

Her spirit will never die. She will always be with us irrespective of our political party preferences.  Sisi Zanele deserves every honour and praise that has been showered on her  mortal life.

On behalf of my family I wish to express my deepest condolences to the kids – entire family, the Magwaza clan and all comrades in the NFP, a party that she founded  and served until her last days.

We thank care-givers in the various institutions that cared for her since she suffered a stroke years ago.

In particular, we salute neighbours, relatives and comrades for the compassion towards her and the support she received in her hour of need.

May God give you the strength to bear the pain and reach deep into your grieving hearts and erase the anguish and make your spirits strong and your faith deeper.

The  words  that best describe the journey of Sisi Zanele are written in the book 1 Timothy 5: 17:

“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”

May her soul rest in peace!

Lala ngoxolo Njinji!

Uyibekile induku ebandla!

Issued by the MEC for Finance and Leader of Government Business Nomsa Dube-Ncube