Makhubo lauded as 'true, knowledgeable soldier’ at funeral
Gauteng Premier David Makhura has lauded late Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo as a soldier who refused to lead his troop from the comfort of his office.
Makhubo was laid to rest on Wednesday at Westpark Cemetery in Soweto.
He died last week from Covid-19 related complications.
Delivering the eulogy, Makhura said he takes responsibility for sending Makhubo out to battle Covid-19.
“On Sunday I visited comrade Geoff’s family and I said as the premier of Gauteng I am the one who sent Makhubo and other mayors to the battle against Covid-19. We have always believed we cannot lead people from our home.
“If we want communities to respond to the call and adhere to the Covid-19 regulations, we have to be out and he understood that. It was in his nature that we don’t lead people from the comfort of our homes, but having sent a solider to war and lost that soldier we are deeply saddened he was one of the great commanders of this battle.”
South African Local Government Association (Salga) President Thembi Nkadimeng said Makhubo was a knowledgeable mayor with great expertise in finance.
“As we march towards local government elections, Salga made a call to all political parties to prioritise the recruitment of skilled and knowledgeable political candidates .
We held a round table with mayors, Makhubo included, which led to what we have gathered as a guide to assist us into what we have drafted to become a framework to assist political parties.”
