
The news: The death of Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, shocked and saddened MPs from both sides of the House.
What happened: Mthembu, chief whip of the ANC in the National Assembly from 2016 to 2019, died from Covid-19 related complications on Thursday, after testing positive for the virus.
The response: "In the passing of Mr Mthembu, South Africa has lost a passionate and fiercely vocal freedom fighter. He was a patriotic South African and a strong defender of constitutional democracy. He was a dependable reservoir of knowledge and wisdom, particularly on the workings of the legislative arm of the state, which he served for years at provincial and national levels in various capacities," said Parliament's presiding officers, Speaker of the National Assembly Thandi Modise and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo.