Sipho Nkosi, former mayor of GMM, is laid to rest

A former executive mayor of Govan Mbeki Municipality, Sipho Nkosi, was buried at the Secunda Cemetery on Thursday, March 3.

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Lillian Ngoyi Centre to pay their last respects.

Nkosi was described as a peace-loving person who didn’t hold grudges.

His burial was prolonged by an hour due to the many speakers who wanted to talk about him.

Some described him as their mentor, father and their political advisor.

Nkosi (55) completed his matric at Szwakele Secondary School in eMbalenhle and then obtained his teachers and B-PAED diplomas from the University of Zululand in 1990.

He began his teaching career at Kiriyatswana Secondary School and was promoted to be the principal of Thistle Grove Combined School.

During the late 90s, he became the mayor of the Highveld Ridge Transitional Local Council which included the towns of Secunda, eMbalenhle, Kinross and Evander.

Nkosi was the executive mayor of Govan Mbeki Municipality from 2006 until 2011.

During this time, his deputy mayor, Thandi Mtsweni was murdered.

She was gunned down in front of her husband and son at her home in Leandra on June 27, 2007, as she had been investigating tender irregularities within the council at the time.

Nkosi was in the gallery of the Evander Magistrate’s Court attending the court proceedings against her killers in 2008 when the police swooped in and arrested him.

He was implicated in the assassination of Mtsweni but later released due to insufficient evidence against him.

Nkosi was suspended as a mayor after his arrest, but was later reinstated.

Nkosi held many positions in the civic and public sectors.

After the end of his mayoral term in 2011, he became an executive manager in the corporate services department of the Lekwa municipality from 2014 to 2018.

He leaves behind his wife and two children.

His oldest son died several years ago.