South Africa: Parliament Mourns the Passing of Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe
The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa mourns the passing of Ms Lungi Annette Mnganga-Gcabashe, Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism. Her passing on Saturday, 17 May 2025, has left a profound void in the Parliamentary community and the nation.
The Presiding Officers of Parliament, led by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, expressed shock at the untimely passing, saying it was a significant loss not only to Parliament but to the democratic project she so passionately served.
Said the Presiding Officers: 'Honourable Mnganga-Gcabashe was the embodiment of dignified public service. She served in Parliament with humility and unwavering dedication. In every committee she led, she was firm yet fair, compassionate yet principled. Her contributions to the oversight work of Parliament were not for personal recognition, but for the betterment of our democracy and the people we serve.'
Ms Mnganga-Gcabashe became a Member of Parliament in 2004 and served with distinction for over two decades. As Chairperson of both the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises and, most recently, the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, she played a key role in strengthening Parliamentary oversight and ensuring accountability across government entities.
Ms Mnganga-Gcabashe's unwavering commitment to women's rights was woven into every aspect of her parliamentary work. A lifelong activist for gender equality, she advocated for laws and championed oversight that advanced the empowerment and protection of women. Her leadership ensured that Parliament remained a voice for the voiceless, especially marginalised women, and that transformation was not just a goal, but a lived reality.
The Presiding Officers extend heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and comrades of Honourable Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe and to her political home, the African National Congress.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Zawya
12 minutes ago
- Zawya
Mozambique: Spiralling hunger crisis and violence amid collapsing aid budgets
In a visit to the neglected crisis raging in the north of Mozambique, Egeland described it as at a 'critical tipping point,' sounding the alarm over skyrocketing violence, the devastation from multiple cyclones, and the near collapse of aid lifelines due to global funding cuts. 'In a region suffering from daily atrocities and monthly disasters, I have seen the human toll caused by the global retreat of solidarity and funding. Climate shocks, increasing violence, and spiralling hunger are having a terrible impact on the population. They now stand at the edge of an abyss, with immense suffering ahead unless the world ends its neglect,' said Egeland. Armed attacks in Cabo Delgado surged by 155 per cent in March alone, with 52 atrocities resulting in 153 abductions and 39 killings. The violence has displaced over 1.4 million people to date, while more than 600,000 others who have returned home now face renewed insecurity and little to no assistance. Simultaneously, three consecutive cyclones—Chido, Dikeledi, and Jude—have battered Mozambique in just three months, affecting more than 1.4 million people, and destroying homes, schools, health centres and farmland across several provinces. The compounded crises have pushed nearly five million Mozambicans into critical levels of hunger, with over 900,000 facing emergency conditions—just one step below famine. 'Hunger took hold in Mozambique the moment conflict did,' Egeland said. 'Where bullets fly, crops wither, supply chains collapse, and families are left hungry.' In conflict-hit Cabo Delgado, farming and markets have collapsed; in Nampula and Zambezia, cyclone-damaged crops have left families struggling to survive. Fuel shortages, infrastructure damage, and insecurity are now paralysing aid operations across the country. Humanitarian agencies, including NRC, have been forced to reduce life-saving activities due to lack of funds and growing access challenges, including administrative and bureaucratic restrictions, attacks and ambushes on aid convoys. 'In 2024, we reached over 125,000 people, but the scale of this crisis far outstrips our current capacity,' Egeland said. 'We have been forced to drastically reduce our first line response—such as survival kits and shelters to people left homeless by the latest cyclone—because of the US funding cuts.' The World Food Programme has already halved its assistance, reaching only 520,000 people of the one million targeted in 2024. This year, the number of people receiving food aid is expected to plummet even further to just 250,000, despite the growing number of people in need. 'Mothers I met told me they don't know who they would turn to if we had to stop helping them,' Egeland said. 'They've already had to cut down on their food, and their children are sleeping hungry. I want to be clear that, whatever happens, we are here to stay and deliver, and we must find a way to keep delivering in a world of chaos. 'I call on governments and the private sector to urgently mobilise funding, guarantee safe access for aid workers, and commit to long-term support for the rights and dignity of displaced Mozambicans. Several governments and multinational corporations are in Mozambique for its natural resources, with little returns to the impoverished population.' NRC stresses the need for immediate and sustained international action to avert a full-scale famine, restore food security, and support the country's fragile recovery. This includes urgent investment in agricultural recovery and fisheries support for coastal areas, nutrition for children, and protection for people forced to flee violence. 'Turning our backs now is not an option—for the sake of millions facing starvation, and for our shared humanity,' Egeland said. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Zawya
12 minutes ago
- Zawya
President Museveni and the First Lady Renew their National Identity Cards
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the First Lady also Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni have this afternoon participated in the ongoing mass registration and renewal exercise of the National Identity cards at State Lodge, Nakasero. The project is being implemented by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and the renewal exercise was efficiently conducted by a team from the authority, led by the Executive Director, Ms. Rosemary Kisembo. The registration of citizens is regarded as a crucial component of national security, ensuring that every individual is accounted for within the nation's identity framework. Enhanced biometric technology associated with these ID cards provides a reliable and unalterable means of establishing identity. This initiative underscores the government's commitment to strengthening national identity systems and fostering socio-economic transformation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.

Zawya
38 minutes ago
- Zawya
Standing Committee on Appropriations Calls for Urgency in Dealing with Municipal Debt to Eskom
The Standing Committee on Appropriations has urged Eskom to collaborate closely with the National Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to ensure that there is full municipal cooperation in the implementation of the Distribution Agency Agreement (DAA) programme. The power utility briefed the committee today regarding the Eskom Debt Relief Bill. The committee expressed deep concern over Eskom's increasing debt levels and that the power utility continues its trajectory towards unsustainable indebtedness. The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mmusi Maimane said: 'When we examine the various pieces of legislation under consideration by this committee, it is undeniable that Eskom remains a pivotal component. The state of Eskom's liquidity, along with serious concerns raised by municipalities around debt servicing are critical factors, especially in light of the appropriations made to Eskom.' Mr Maimane said he feared that Eskom will be heavily indebted despite being in receipt of the Eskom Debt Relief Bill. The committee further said the lack of urgency in addressing underperforming and financially distressed municipalities, many of which are unable to service their debts to Eskom, is a major contributor to Eskom's debt burden. The committee also highlighted that Eskom was not doing enough to curb the 'ghost tokens' in the pre-paid electricity segment and the failure to address it has contributed to significant revenue losses. Furthermore, the committee recommended that the power utility needs to ensure that it deals decisively with acts of sabotage carried out by its own employees. The committee cautioned that that the power utility needs to begin exploring ways to harness its own energy sources and not rely on independent power producers as this process can easily be influenced by political forces. The committee called on Eskom to urgently implement decisive reforms to address inefficiencies, improve governance, enhance revenue collection, and safeguard its infrastructure. The committee will tomorrow, 11 June receive a briefing from the City of Johannesburg and the City of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipalities on the 2025 Division of Revenue Bill. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.