Parliament, Wednesday 18 August 2021 - Parliament’s Presiding Officers have expressed a deep sense of loss following the untimely passing of former Member of Parliament Mr Dan Montsitsi, who served on 16 parliamentary committees in the second, third and fourth parliaments, and left an indelible trail of dedication and excellence for others to follow.
The Presiding Officers, led by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson Amos Masondo and the Acting National Assembly Speaker, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, said South Africa is the poorer for his passing.
Members of Parliament and parliamentary officials he worked closely with described Mr Montsitsi as a down-to-earth servant leader, who left everyone he interacted with a better person. Broer Dan, as he was affectionately known across Parliament, spared no effort in ensuring that the quality of committee and other parliamentary work met the highest possible standards and had the largest possible support from stakeholders.
The committees he served in include the NCOP Select Committee on Finance and Appropriation, where his profound understanding of the value of intergovernmental relations found full expression, bringing on board municipalities, the South African Local Government Association, national government departments, the Financial and Fiscal Commission, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and provincial legislatures.
His legacy is visible in numerous pieces of legislation, particularly the Division of Revenue, Appropriation and Finance Bills, Section 100 interventions in Limpopo, and the General Intelligence Amendment Bill.
His principled and humble leadership style inspired many, while his role in the anti-apartheid struggle - including the Soweto uprisings, for which he was incarcerated on Robben Island, helped accelerate the attainment of freedom.
The Presiding Officers said: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, community, organisations and all the people of South Africa he inspired. We are grateful to the family for sharing such a agrounded character to help accelerate the transformation of the state and our society, so that within our lifetime, challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment, crime and food insecurity could be history.”
May his soul rest in eternal peace and rise in glory.
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