Condolences continue to pour in for late ANC MP Fezeka Loliwe who died in a fatal car crash on Monday afternoon.
Loliwe died after her vehicle overturned near Fort Hare University in Alice, Eastern Cape while on her way from her parliamentary constituency office in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape, spokesperson of the ANC's Office of the Chief Whip Nonceba Mhlauli said in a statement.
ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu said it was with "utter shock and sadness" the party had received news of the death of a second ANC MP in a matter of weeks.
It was with utter shock and sadness that we received , yet again , news of the death of another @MYANC MP last night . @Fezekaloliwe MP died yesterday afternoon after a car accident in the #Eastern Cape . Her death follows that of @BeatriceNgcobo ANC MP , a week ago .
— Jackson Mthembu (@JacksonMthembu_) March 6, 2018
"Comrade Loliwe was a dedicated public representative who joined Parliament in 2014. She served as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee (PC) on Labour and had previously served as the ANC Whip for the PC on Labour," Mhlauli said.
Loliwe was also the Whip of the ANC's Caucus Disciplinary Committee (CDC) and part of the "formidable team" who conducted the parliamentary inquiry into the SABC, the statement said.
"Her untimely departure leaves a deep void within structures of the ANC Caucus and Parliament as a whole. The people of South Africa have truly been robbed of one of the most dedicated public representatives," Mhlauli said.
Others on social media, including South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, also voiced shock and sadness at the news of her death.
According to News24 on Monday evening, police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said a case of culpable homicide was under investigation while the circumstances of how the accident occurred remain unclear.
Sizwe Kupelo, spokesperson for the department of health in the Eastern Cape, reportedly said she was alone in the vehicle at the time of the accident and died instantly.