Former Weekend Post writer and award-winning journalist Nosipho Kota has died at Dora Nginza Hospital.
She died of natural causes on Sunday night following an illness, the family said.
She was 44.
Kota’s sister, Nomfanelo, said: “In her later years, life unfortunately dealt her several blows which led to a deterioration of her health.
“We are deeply saddened by her passing.
“She loved poetry and it loved her back.
“We will miss her beautiful smile and quiet ways.”
Kota, a mother of three, was a prolific writer who wrote a eulogy following the death of Govan Mbeki.
It was this eulogy that catapulted her stature within the media world.
Former Weekend Post news editor Samantha Smith said Kota was a very creative writer who wrote from the heart.
“She was a beautiful soul and her writing often brought me to tears, because she wrote from the very depth of her heart and had an extraordinary ability to blend beauty with sadness, fact with emotion.
“She was a very talented writer,” Smith said.
Born in March 1973, in Sondla Street, New Brighton, Kota was also a poet.
Kota also worked for The Herald and was the Vodacom Journalist of the Year in both 2001 and 2003 in the print category.
She later worked for the Eastern Cape health department’s communications unit in Bhisho.
Kota attended school at Arthur Nyobo Primary School and went on to New Brighton Higher Primary School.
She later matriculated from Tamsanqa High School in Kwazakhele.
As part of her student activism days, she joined Youth for Christ, as well as the Student Christian Movement in Port Elizabeth under the guidance of Rev Sicelo Duze.
She proceeded to study further at the Port Elizabeth Russell Road TVET College.
She also obtained several certificates through Rhodes University.
Kota was a well-known HIV activist and campaigned fiercely for the rights of people living with HIV-Aids, her sister Nomfanelo said.
Kota will be laid to rest at a date yet to be announced.