‘Humble, dedicated’ Masebe lauded at memorial service
Friends, relatives, and colleagues of the late Thabo Masebe have described the veteran communicator as humble and dedicated public servant.
Mourners gathered at a memorial service for the Gauteng acting director-general in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Masebe died on Monday at the age of 57.
Gauteng City Region Observatory Executive Director Rashid Seedat said Masebe's communication skills was severely tested during the Life Esidimeni scandal.
Masebe was the Gauteng government spokesperson at the time of the scandal.
"When we were confronted with things like Life Esidimeni, I think it was one of Gauteng's greatest shames and it was not about spinning the story, but how do we deal with this crisis of our people. Thabo had to take the lead, that was one of the tests we saw including the recent crisis of the Charlote Maxeke hospital.
Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba said Masebe taught her to focus on her work instead of factions within the ANC.
"When I was appointed MEC, Thabo said I should not be worried about factions, do your work whenever you are deployed in such a manner that no matter what factions comes it becomes difficult for them to remove you your work will speak for you."
Ramathuba, who is Masebe’s sister-in law, said he had been struggling with his health for a while.
"In December last year myself and Florence, we finally located him at a hospital and to me Thabo was dead, take it from me. When I looked at his vitals and I said to Florence let's call upon our ancestors. The next two days he recovered, and he rose from the dead, he gave us four months to bid him farewell and God was fair to us, let us release him."
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