The acting municipal manager (MM) of the cash-strapped Jozini local municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal has died.
Sipho Nkosi died earlier today in what is suspected to be a heart attack while he was driving to his workplace.
According to municipal insiders, he was driving to work when he suffered what appeared to be a heart attack. Other motorists who knew his car since he was a prominent figure reportedly saw his car driving erratically and suspected that he had fallen asleep.
Car started driving erratically
When it stopped, they tried to help him while waiting for an ambulance to take him to a local medical facility in Msiyane for emergency treatment.
“He came to the office in the morning and started working. But around tea break time, he left to buy food in a local restaurant. On his way back, just after passing the clinic, his car switched on the hazards lights while reversing. People rushed to help because he was in distress.
“As the ambulance drove him to the hospital, he died. And by the time he got there, he was already dead,” said a source based in Jozini.
When the news reached municipal staff, they were all shocked.
One staff member told Sunday World that they were shocked to see his car being driven without him and parked in the municipal yard in Jozini.
Municipality staff shocked
“It was a sad day for the employees, as Nkosi recently joined the municipality on an acting basis. And they were working well with him to stabilise the finances of the municipality. We are still waiting for the political leadership in the municipality to give directives on the matter,” the employee said and asked not to be named, as Nkosi’s family was yet to be informed.
The municipality did not comment when Sunday World asked about the matter by 5pm on Wednesday. Its comment will be added once it has been received.
Nkosi was a seasoned local government employee. For the longest time, he worked for the Zululand District Municipality as MM. He later moved to Nongoma Local Municipality before moving to Jozini.
