Business community pays tribute to late Nafcoc secretary Mandla Msizi

The grieving business community in the metro was united by the power of prayer as it reflected on the life of late National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) secretary Mandla Msizi on Thursday night.

Msizi, 47, died in hospital on Monday after a short illness.

Nafcoc members and the general business community held a prayer session at Msizi’s Sherwood home.

Former Nafcoc president Lithemba Singaphi, a close friend of Msizi, said the purpose of the gathering was to offer prayers for the bereaved family.

“We are here for a short prayer [service] and to show support to the family,” he said.

“Msizi had a special way of impacting the lives of people in different sectors.

“We have come here to bandage the deep wounds.”

He said when news of Msizi’s death first emerged on social media it had been hard to believe.

Nafcoc’s provincial chair of the agricultural sector, Winile Nywebeni, started the service by reading Psalm 23, with Nywebeni likening the life of Msizi to that of a shepherd.

“A shepherd knows his flock even if one of them went missing,” he said.

“Likewise, Msizi was a shepherd in the office.

“When we look where he used to sit in this house, the chair is unoccupied.

“We have this hope and assurance that God has taken him. Let’s not cry as those who do not have hope. He knew his time for departure was near.

“He cannot come to us, we will have to go to him.”

Msizi was instrumental in resuscitating the Nelson Mandela Bay region of Nafcoc from 2014 and, in 2016, was elected regional secretary.

He was in the third year of his term when he died.

During this time, Msizi grew Nafcoc’s membership, which includes well-established black-owned businesses, a women’s chamber and a youth chamber.

Nafcoc Bay chair Nceba Faku said earlier this week that Msizi had been instrumental in resuscitating Nafcoc in the region.

“Among his achievements as secretary was continuous engagement with the public- and private-sector economic stakeholders for black economic participation,” he said.

This included the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality and the Coega Development Corporation.

A memorial service will be held at the Feather Market Hall at 5pm on Wednesday, followed by his funeral at the Centenary Hall in New Brighton on Friday next week.

Msizi is survived by his wife of 20 years, four young children, his mother and two sisters.