Various stakeholders within the police portfolio took the opportunity presented by the meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Police to share their thoughts, emotions, and condolences on the passing of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police Ms Tina Monica Joemat-Pettersson. In a somber mood, all agreed that Ms Joemat-Pettersson was dedicated to the committee’s work with the sole intention of ensuring a safer and better country for all its people.
Mr Pieter Groenewald from the Freedom Front Plus will miss her tenacity. “As a chairperson of the portfolio, she always ensured that we do our work diligently and we kept to our obligation to the people of this country and our voters. She was dedicated and committed to transparency and was a hard worker. I extend words of condolences to her family and friends in this difficult time,” Mr Groenewald said.
These sentiments were echoed by Minister Bheki Cele who said that in the long years he has known Chairperson Joemat-Pettersson she was as tough as nails, committed only to serving the people of this country. “Here we are talking about a person who was an activist, a public representative and who took her job very seriously. We hope that the family will be given space to mourn this life, but for now we need to go on. We need to pick up the spear and continue. May her soul rest in peace and give us extra energy to proceed,” Minister Cele emphasised.
In sharing his condolence message, the Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale, highlighted the close bond between Ms Joemat-Pettersson and her sons and urged everyone to keep them in their prayers as they go through this difficult time. “It is a sad day today; Tina was a dedicated member of her organisation and this committee. She was an activist of note. I have known her from the time she was an MEC in the Northern Cape. I know she was very close to her sons, and we should offer support to them. They should know that we are with them in this difficult time,” Mr Mathale said.
Mr Mathale emphasised Ms Joemat-Pettersson’s dedication to her oversight responsibilities. “She would take us on when we dropped the ball, but it was all for the benefit of the people of this country. We still expected a lot more from her, but death had its own way. May her soul rest in peace and rise in glory,” Mr Mathale emphasised.
Reverend Andrew Nissen from the Human Rights Commission remembered that Ms Joemat-Pettersson’s work was anchored to her love for her country and the poor. “We worked together during a very difficult time, around the state of emergency, evictions and we had lot of debates. She served the poor and marginalised and worked hard to ensure a safer country. May God send his angels to safeguard her children,” Rev Nissen said.
Malatswa Molepo
14 June 2023
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