Ugu District Municipality in KwaZulu has been hit by yet another blow. Three days ago municipal manager Elliot Ntombela died after an illness. As the municipality was still coming to terms with his sudden passing, Mayor Phumzile Mthiyane passed away as well after ashort illness.

MOURNING

Municipal spokesperson France Zama said in statement that they were shocked by the untimely passing of the mayor. "The dark cloud seems to have fallen upon our municipality during this period and we request your thoughts and prayers to be with the family at this time of the loss," Zama said in a statement.

DOUBLE BLOW

Mthiyane died in the early hours of yesterday morning while Ntombela died on Saturday. Ntombela was appointed as municipal manager in October 2022 after a lengthy and intensive process to find a suitable qualified candidate to take the helm. Ntombela passed away onSaturday hospital where he had been hospitalised more than three weeks ago. Ntombela had joined the municipality in an acting capacity in July 2021 and was later appointed on a five-year contract as a municipal manager in October 2022. Mthiyane was elected mayor during the 2021 local government elections, before then, she was a deputy mayor at the same municipality.