POLOKWANE – Condolences are streaming in after the death of public service and administration minister, Collins Chabane, who died in a collision early on Sunday morning.
Chabane was travelling in his luxury SUV with two VIP protection officers, sergeants Lawrence Lentswoane and Lesiba Sekele.
According to provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto, it was not known who was driving the vehicle, and this formed part of the police’s investigation.
The vehicle Chabane was travelling in collided with a truck, which was allegedly making an illegal U-turn on the N1 South some 30km outside Polokwane.
All three men in the SUV died. The driver of the truck was taken into custody and a case of culpable homicide was being investigated, Otto said. The truck driver will appear before court today.
“A breatherlyser test indicated that he might have been under the influence of alcohol as well. Following the arrest he was taken to the hospital for blood tests. The tests will be sent to our laboratory in Pretoria for analysing,” Otto said.
According to forensic accident reconstruction specialist, Phillip Smit, the speed at which the SUV was travelling at also played a role in the accident. Smit said the SUV must have been travelling at high speed when the collision took place. However, this was as yet unverified and also formed part of the police’s investigation.
Chabane, who had served on the ANC national executive council since 19991, was described by those who knew him as dedicated, hard working, respected, down-to-earth, humble, sharp witted, an outstanding cadre of the ANC, a talented musician and lover of the arts as well as sports.
Many current and former Limpopo politicians knew Chabane very well for many years. Former health and social development, agriculture and education MEC Dikeledi Magadzi said just last week she and Chabane went through some old photographs from years ago and remembered the good old days. “He mentioned that he would have liked to have some of them, and I would have sent him some,” Magadzi said.
Chabane was family and she knew him for many years, but only got to know him better after he was released from Robben Island.
“I was shattered on Sunday when I heard about the collision. He was always the first to start smiling when a joke was told, the first to get and understand the joke, before anybody else. He was a pillar of strength for his family. They lost a great husband and father, and the community has lost more,” Magadzi said.
Former Limpopo Tourism CEO, Benny Boshielo, was also a longstanding friend of Chabane. “Those who knew him will certainly attest to the fact that he lived to the dictum that before he became a politician, he should be a loving human being. It is this personality that endeared him to become a caring politician who put the interest of his people first.
“He was no ordinary person, but an extraordinary human being. A musician and artist of repute, he was a full personality, caring, loving, humble and always ready to guide, educate and mentor.
“He was a family man who loved his family more than anything. He was a staunch member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa and a full member of its Men’s Fellowship,” Boshielo said.
Health minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, worked closely with Chabane for more than 25 years. He said Chabane’s death was painful and described him as an analyst and a hard worker who was patient and cool.
“He was a dedicated cadre of our movement, the ANC,” Motsoaledi said.
Chabane, together with Joel Netshitenzhe and Thabo Makunyane played a key role in establishing the ANC in the province and seeing to it that it was more visible. Makunyane said Chabane was a highly respected leader as a result of his dedication.
Silence Makhubele, member of parliament, worked with Chabane from 1997 “He was my political mentor and the longest serving provincial secretary of the ANC in the province. He inspired me, as he was humble and approachable, a man of principles and an all-rounder.”
Social development MEC, Joyce Mashamba, said South Africa had suffered a great loss. “His death leaves a mammoth gap in the South African government, the ruling party and indeed in the hearts of all who had the privilege to cross paths with this dynamic, creative and intelligent man,” she said.
Former Limpopo premier Sello Moloto, now South African ambassador in Finland, said he was shaken and sad. He extended his condolences to the family and friends of Chabane.
After an illustrious po-litical career in the province where he served the ANC in various positions, Chabane was MEC for public works and the economic development departments before joining the national political scene as minister of monitoring and evaluation in the presidency from 2009 to 2014, and since 2014 as minister of public service and administration.
Premier Stanley Mathabatha was at the scene of the accident some hours after it occurred, as was Motsoaledi.
Chabane’s wife Mavis also came from Pretoria to see the scene of the accident. He is survived by Mavis and two children. The details of his funeral had not yet been released by the time of going to print, however, president Jacob Zuma, said a state funeral would be held.
On Monday people streamed to the ANC Limpopo’s headquarters at Frans Mohlala House to impart their condolences.
Reports that there would be a cabinet reshuffle remained unconfirmed by the time of going to print.
Minister Chabane killed in car crash on N1
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