State capture whistleblower Vytjie Mentor laid to rest

The funeral of state capture whistleblower and former African National Congress (ANC) MP, Vytjie Mentor, is underway at the Mayibuye Centre in Kimberley, Northern Cape.

Mentor will be laid to rest at the West End Cemetery.

She died in hospital a week ago at the age of 58, after succumbing to a long illness.

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She served as a member of the National Assembly from 2002 until 2014 and as the ANC’s caucus chairperson between 2004 and 2008.

Mentor joined ActionSA in 2020 as its Western Cape chairperson until 2022, when she resigned due to her ill health.

Mentor’s memorial service

At her memorial at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cape Town on Tuesday, Mentor was hailed as a brave woman for blowing the whistle on corruption.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba told family, friends and colleagues that Mentor stood by her truth despite the criticism she received.

“When asked about taking choices she has made in her life, doing what was unpopular, Vytjie used to tell all of us that she regretted nothing,” said Mashaba

The anti-apatheid activist made headlines back in 2016 when she spoke out about the Guptas’ involvement in the appointment of key government officials.

She claimed that the Gupta brothers made her an offer to become the next public enterprise minister.

Mentor later testified at the Zondo Commission that the offer happened during a trip she took with former president Jacob Zuma to China in 2010. 

She alleged that Ajay Gupta made the offer while Zuma was in the next room.

However, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said her recollection of events could not be corroborated.

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