Tributes pour in after Sarah Baartman mayor’s sudden death

An exceptional leader who died with his boots on while chairing his first mayoral committee meeting.

That was how ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi described the sudden death of newly elected Sarah Baartman District Municipality mayor Scara Njadayi, 44.

He died on Wednesday afternoon at the Sarah Baartman District Municipality offices in Govan Mbeki Avenue, Gqeberha.

Ngcukayitobi said Njadayi’s death was a major blow to the party and the entire district.

“This has ripped right through the ANC,” he said.

He said Njadayi was in a league of his own in understanding the need for renewal from within the ANC.

“He was one of the key people in the ANC’s development in the Sarah Baartman region.

“It’s a huge loss not only to the ANC but to all structures of the alliance.

“We want to send our condolences to his family.

“This is a huge loss, we feel sad for the governance they were trying to establish in the Sarah Baartman District.

“Njadayi was an accessible leader who had the respect of those whom he led and those who were leading him.”

Njadayi, who was also the ANC’s regional chair in the district, was elected mayor on November 24. 

The ANC managed to retain the mayoral chain after it received 16 votes out of a total of 30 council seats.

Njadayi was elected unopposed as the ANC regional chair in 2018.

Municipal manager Ted Pillay said Njadayi collapsed while chairing the meeting and everyone left the room when paramedics arrived.

He declined to comment further.

Councillors rushed to check on Njadayi when he collapsed, thinking that he had fainted. 

“He was not breathing and lots of people started to scream and cry,”  a municipal official, who declined to be named, said.

Shortly after that, Relay Emergency Medical Services arrived at the building. 

ANC provincial chair and Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane said Njadayi’s sudden death was a shock.

“This is unbelievable, we are still shocked,” he said.

“This is not something we can easily fathom.

“I thought I was dreaming when I got this call on my way from an ANC programme as I had had a lengthy discussion with Njadayi in the morning and he seemed fine.”

He said the talk was around governance and organisational issues.

“He was telling me that he needs support in the district since he is a new mayor,” Mabuyane said.

He said Njadayi was generally a healthy person.

“He was a fitness fanatic and we can’t really understand what happened.

“We will have to rely on what the doctors have to say at this stage.”

The Sarah Baartman District Municipality sent out a short statement offering condolences to the Njadayi family and colleagues in ANC.

“It is with profound sadness and shock that we inform you of the sudden passing of the mayor,” it said.

The DA’s Sarah Baartman District Municipality and Sundays River local municipality caucus leader Karen Smith said despite coming from different parties it was always agreed that there was a need to better the lives of communities.

“On behalf of the DA, I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the colleagues, friends and family of Njadayi on his untimely passing.

“Our district and province have lost a giant, and we are the poorer for it.”

EFF provincial chair Yazini Tetyana said his death had shocked the party.

“We got to know him in the early days as a regional secretary of the ANC Youth League.

“We will remember him as revolutionary par excellence and a symbol of unity for the African people.

“May his soul rest in peace,” he said.

HeraldLIVE