South Africa

Siddeeq Railoun, Executive Director Museum

25Aug

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Profiles, Sad But True, South Africa

Siddeeq Railoun, Executive Director Museum

Executive director of the District Six Museum Siddeeq Railoun died of complications of Covid-19. The museum said he was appointed in May after a challenging year in 2020. The statement said he brought his experience in organisational and business development to bear on growing the capacity of staff and building relationships with new partners and friends. “He was driven to connect us more closely to education and programme initiatives in other parts of the continent. He was always enthusiastic, jovial and was greatly inspired by the potential of the museum,” read the statement. The museum expressed sympathies and love to his immediate family. Chairperson of the museum board, Siraj Desai, said: “The District Six Museum board wishes to extend our condolences to the family of ...

24Aug

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Profiles, Sad But True, South Africa

Hissene Habre, Former Chad Strongman

Hissene Habre, the former strongman president of Chad and security ally of the West during the Cold War who was later jailed for war crimes, died on Tuesday in Senegal at the age of 79, Senegal's justice minister said. Habre contracted COVID-19 at a clinic in the capital Dakar where he was taken 10 days ago from jail for medical reasons, Justice Minister Malick Sall, told Reuters. When his condition worsened, he was taken to Principal Hospital, where he died. Habre's 1982-90 rule, which began with a coup, saw widespread killings by his infamous political police who rounded up suspects and held them in secret detention centres. In eight years, tens of thousands were raped, tortured and killed. After a landmark trial in Senegal, where he fled after being chased out of office by Sudan-...

18Aug

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Profiles, Sad But True, South Africa

Ragani Achary, Broadcaster

Hot 102.7FM is mourning the passing of Ragani Achary, who succumbed to Covid-19 complications on Sunday afternoon. She was 48. Achary was the station’s head of news and news anchor on Joburg’s Hottest Breakfast, at the time of her passing. The station’s managing director Lloyd Madurai described Achary as “someone who was loved by all at the station and respected by her peers” in the industry. “Ragani was a treasured colleague and the entire HOT 102.7FM family are devastated at her passing,” said Madurai. “Ragani brought an element of professionalism to her work and, in particular, to our news reportage, introducing external reporters whose contributions added substantial value to the news bulletins. With an illustrious career in broadcasting, Achary served as the senior cop...

12Aug

By Person Matters Web TeamNo Comments

Profiles, Sad But True, South Africa

Ana Ekhomu, Security Expert

Renowned safety expert Ana Ekhomu has died after struggling with COVID-19 complications.. Born March 26, 1955, in Irrua, Edo State, Ekhomu died Monday night after weeks of illness. He was Africa Representative of the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO). He obtained a Masters in Political Science from the Iowa State University, Ames, United States, 1979; PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, 1985. The first chartered security professional in West Africa was the President of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria (AISSON). His wife had informed the body that their leader contracted COVID-19. She called for prayers as he received medical care in isolation. The deceased was famous for his m...

5Aug

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Profiles, Sad But True, South Africa

Thabo Kgogo, Engineer

A former SacOil CEO and interim Group Five head Thabo Kgogo has died at the age of 45 due to COVID-19. According to reports, a petroleum engineer by training, Kgogo obtained a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Cape Town, and his masters and doctorate in petroleum engineering from Imperial College, University of London. Thabo Kgogo worked at PetroSA as a reservoir engineer and principal engineer, before his appointment in 2010 as a vice-president of its operations division. In 2014 he was named CEO of SacOil, the oil and gas company, where he spent four years. After his departure from SacOil, since renamed Efora Energy, Kgogo spent a stint as a non-executive board member of construction company Group Five, and subsequently served the as interim CEO. Kgogo co...

2Aug

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Profiles, Sad But True, South Africa

Dr Johan Van Zyl , Businessman

The executive chairperson of Toyota South Africa Motors Dr Johan van Zyl 63, has died due to Coronavirus. Quoting a spokesperson Carmag reported that he died of Covid-19 complications, at a Pretoria hospital. Van Zyl, who was born in Springs in Gauteng in June 1958, had a long career with the auto manufacturer - having started at Toyota South Africa Motors in 1993 as the director for the sales and dealer network, Carmag reported. He was appointed CEO of Toyota SA in 2003. A decade later, he was promoted to become CEO of Toyota in Africa. In recent years, he served as managing officer of Toyota Motor Corporation and in 2015 he was appointed CEO of Toyota Motor Europe - until his retirement in early 2021. Affectionately known as "The Doc", van Zyl was described as having an "...

23Jul

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Noteworthy, Profiles, South Africa

Andre Thysse, Boxing Champion

Former South African Boxing champion and promoter, Andre Thysse passed away on Thursday on following a battle with Covid-19 and pneumonia after being admitted to hospital last week. Andre was born in Germiston, South Africa on February 7th, 1969 before settling in Kempton Park with his family. Through his life and career, the 52-year-old earned the respect of many. His professional career ran from 1999 through to 2009 during which the man earned the Gauteng super middleweight title, the SA super middleweight title and the Commonwealth super middleweight title. Andre was almost untouchable with his national belt defending it eight times. Internationally, he was not as successful losing seven fights abroad, fighting some of the world’s best at the time. One of his biggest win...

15Jul

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Neighbors, Profiles, South Africa

Chrizelda Coetzee, policewoman

Chrizelda Coetzee, a Cape Town police force member, died on July 14, 2020, in her apartment while isolating as she had been diagnosed with COVID-19. The 38 years old was a sergeant and had been in the police service for 20 years. Speaking to News24, her sister Cindy said Chrizelda began feeling ill on July 5 and was taken to hospital. While she had a high fever, she could not be admitted until she had been tested for COVID-19. After two days of waiting, test results confirmed that Chrizelda has COVID-19. The sergeant made the decision to isolate by herself in her Tygervalley apartment. “I spoke to her every day. On Friday, I phoned her and she said she is fine. She is resting, drinking her Oros and sleeping. That’s all she wanted to do,” Cindy said. &ldq...

9Jul

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High Profilers, Profiles, South Africa

Noloyiso Sandile, queen

Noloyiso Sandile ‑ a local queen in South Africa died due to COVID-19 on July 8, 2020. She was 56. Sandile had been admitted at a hospital for COVID-19 related complications, according to the State broadcaster SABC. The deceased is a sister to the current Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini. She was married to the AmaRarhabe King Maxhoba Sandile for over two decades until his death in 2011. She was then made the regent queen until her son, Prince Jonguxolo Sandile, took over when he came of age. “Our condolences to the House of Rharhabe,’’ Bantu Holomisa leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) party wrote in a tweet. Several others have also expressed their shock and sadness at the queen’s demise. South Africa has 10 officially recogni...

9Jul

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High Profilers, Profiles, South Africa

Ricardo Mthembu, politician

Ricardo Mthembu – who served as the mayor of KwaDukuza for eight years before being deployed to the ANC KZN spokesperson position following the party's 2018 provincial conference ‑ died on the morning of July 8, 2020, in hospital, allegedly due to Covid-19 complications. He was also a member of the African National Congress provincial executive committee, and served as chairman of the cooperative governance and traditional affairs (COGTA) portfolio committee in legislature. Mthembu joined provincial legislature following the 2019 national and provincial elections. African News Agency