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Former Deputy Minister, MDC-T Official Mahlangu Dies


FILE: MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other party officials at the funeral wake of the late Benson 'Okollo' Muchineuta. (Photo/Morgan Tsvangirai Facebook Page)
FILE: MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other party officials at the funeral wake of the late Benson 'Okollo' Muchineuta. (Photo/Morgan Tsvangirai Facebook Page)

Former Deputy Youth Minister and Nkulumane legislator Thamsanqa Mahlangu of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has died.

MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu announced Mahlangu's death Monday saying he succumbed to cancer.

He said Mahlangu, who was the MDC-T’s deputy national organizing secretary, was a fearless and committed fighter for democratic change in Zimbabwe, adding that the party has lost a committed grassroots mobiliser who was always ready to lead from the front.

The MDC-T’s organizing secretary for Harare province, Rhino Mashaya, described the death of Mahlangu, a former youth chairman in the MDC, as a huge loss to his party and its leader Tsvangirai.

Activist Yvonne Musarurwa, who worked with Mahlangu in the opposition’s Youth Assembly, told Studio 7 that Mahlangu was a hard worker, noting that his contributions to the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe would be greatly missed.

Proportional representation MDC-T parliamentarian, Susan Mutsunga, said parliament and the MDC-T will not be the same without Mahlangu.

Mahlangu was born on 27 April 1971 and was elected to lead the MDC Youth Assembly at a party congress in 2011, taking over from Nelson Chamisa, who is now with the organizing department.

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Following the formation of the unity government in 2009, Mahlangu was appointed by MDC leader Tsvangirai as the deputy minister of youth and indigenization before he was replaced by Tongai Matutu in a mini re-shuffle.

The deceased was first elected to represent Nkulumane in 2008 and was re-elected in the disputed 2013 polls.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda Zaranyika, and two sons Munyaradzi and Zibusiso.

Mourners are gathered at 15053 Nkulumane 12 in Bulawayo. Burial arrangements were yet to be announced at the time of going to air.

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