Picture: The former Ditsobotla Local Municipality speaker, the late Fikile Jakeni/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The heartfelt condolence messages continue to pour in after the passing of the municipal speaker of Ditsobotla Local Municipality. Fikile Jakeni passed away on Thursday evening after a long illness.
The Ditsobotla Local Municipality mayor, Elizabeth Lethoko said the death of Jakeni was confirmed by a family member.
“The passing of the distinguished speaker is devastating. Jakeni was more than a speaker for our municipality. He was a beacon of wisdom and strength, as he dedicated his life to the service of the people of Ditsobotla. His influence reached far beyond the confines of our local region.
“His unwavering dedication to public service and a deep-seated passion for social justice has indelibly shaped our community. Jakeni was a friend, a mentor and a guide to all of us, who had the privilege of working alongside him. His contribution to our community is immeasurable and his absence in our hearts is unbearable,” Lethoko said.
She further said, in these moments of deep sorrow and loss, they stand in solidarity with the Jakeni family. Lethoko added that, they mourn this monumental loss and also remember and celebrate the remarkable life of Jakeni, whose legacy will forever be etched in the history of Ditsobotla.
“We kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of the Jakeni family during this challenging time. Details regarding the funeral and memorial service will be shared in due course. We have lost a leader, but his spirit and his teachings will continue to guide us in the days, months and years to come,” she said.
Meanwhile, the North West Premier, Bushy Maape said: “Jakeni was elected as the speaker of Ditsobotla Local Municipality through a coalition following the by-elections in December 2022. He rose to prominence in the 1990s as a Congress of South African Students Organisation (COSAS) activist and has occupied several leadership positions in the African National Congress (ANC), ANC Youth League (ANCYL), as well as South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU).
“Jakeni was a selfless and dedicated public representative. He passed away at the time the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) is investing all its energies in finding a permanent solution to a number of administrative and financial challenges confronting the municipality.”
Maape said Jakeni would be of excellent service in seeing to the success of several intervention measures they have developed to stabilise the municipality. He described Jakeni as a hard worker, who was dedicated to serving the people of Ditsobotla.
“We offer our condolences to Jakeni’s family, friends, colleagues and residents of Ditsobotla and the people of North West,” he said.
The Guardian 