Byline: Andani Matumba

29 May 2022

GSDM mourns the death of Cllr Trevor Nkosi who is reported to have passed away in the early hours of Friday,  28 May 2022 following a long illness.

Cllr Nkosi was the councillor of the ANC in Gert Sibande District Municipality, appointed and serving as the Whip of Council.

Nkosi’s life is said to have been characterised by political work in the main with focus on youth development.

According to a statement released by GSDM,  his key role was the management of the majority party’s participation in Council’s business as the Whip of Council, he was also trusted with various positions of authority during his political journey.

These include Regional Secretary of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Gert Sibande, Regional Chairperson of the ANCYL in Gert Sibande, ANCYL Mpumalanga Deputy Chairperson and Deputy Secretary of the ANC in Gert Sibande. Speaking on behalf of Council, the Speaker Cllr Busisiwe Sekhonde has expressed her shock and condolences to the Nkosi family, the political party he was serving and the entire district of Gert Sibande.

“GSDM is proud to have had an individual of his caliber within the institution whose passion for the youth was never downplayed”, said Sekhonde.

According to Cllr. Bethuwel Zuguza, MMC of Finance at GSDM he met Cllr Nkosi around 2011 when he was a convener for the ANC Youth League has since known him as a cheerful person who was full of jokes and had solutions to many problems.

“He was passionate about helping people more specifically children, the poor and senior citizens and would always donate school uniform at the beginning of each and distribute food parcels to the less fortunate

His office currently had a programme where they had to handout food parcels food parcels but could not happen due to his illness, therefore we as his colleagues will see to it that it is carried out,” said Zuguza.

He further stated that Nkosi was a person who loved to read, which could be witnessed by his personal growth and wisdom.

“He also assisted a lot of young people to get to key positions in local government through his mentoring and nurturing character because all he wanted to see was young people growing and stepping out of their comfort zone,” said Zuguza with honor of working with such a remarkable being.

“Growing up in the ranks with you as our older brother, we felt protected and safeguarded.

We witnessed you young as you were rebuilding a house for a child-headed household in Lekwa.

We will never forget when you led us in all of the ANC Youth League marches against youth unemployment aimed at Tutuka Eskom Power Station, Seriti Colliery Mine, Transnet, and other strategic sectors.

We observed you donate gifts in the form of blankets and food packs to oGogo nomkhulu in communities around Gert Sibande, the school shoes; uniforms and stationeries to children, and not to forget when you were donating Wheelchairs for persons living with disabilities from time to time.

You have always been passionate in giving and assisting others.

Thanks to your relentless efforts, many young people are in employment and graduates because of the strides you made.

Your love and selflessness will forever be upon us.

Throughout your efforts and means, you truly illustrated Cesar Chavez’s words that “True wealth is not measured in money, status or power, it is measured in the legacy we leave behind for those we love and those we inspire”, said Kgobane Malika, the Branch Deputy Chairperson of the ANC Youth league in his tribute message to Cllr Nkosi.

In s statement released by the Gert Sibande Youth League ANC Youth League, death has robbed the ANCYL, the ANC and the entire Congress Movement of one of its most courageous, selfless and fearless cadre who loved and served the movement to the end.