North West MEC Succumbs to Covid-19 as South African Cases Surpass 200,000

North West Premier Job Mokgoro has expressed condolences at the passing of the province’s Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs MEC, Gordon Kegakilwe, who on Monday succumbed to a short but serious COVID-19-related illness.

Kegakilwe was admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia on Sunday afternoon at the Vryburg Private Hospital. Upon admission, the MEC was immediately put on oxygen.

“A decision was taken on Monday morning to transfer him to a medical facility in Klerksdorp,” said the Premier’s office in a statement.

He was transported from Vryburg to Klerksdorp in an ambulance and upon arrival in Klerksdorp, he suffered cardiac arrest. Despite all the efforts by the medical personnel, he passed away.

Mokgoro said Kegakilwe had distinguished himself as one of the finest to have come from the ranks of the governing African National Congress, and was a “tried and tested leader”.

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said Kegakilwe had an illustrious political career.

“It is crushing to lose such talent at the prime of his life,” Mkhize said.

North West has now had 6 410 cases, Free State 2 804, Mpumalanga 2 173, Limpopo 1 785 and Northern Cape 820.

Covid-19 cases in South Africa have now breached the 200 000 mark, and the death toll is now sitting at 3 310.

While the country has recorded 97 848 recoveries, infections increased by 8 971 to 205 721 on Monday, while 111 more people lost their lives.

Of the new additional deaths, 50 are from Gauteng, 35 from the Western Cape, 17 from Limpopo and nine from the Eastern Cape.

The country has conducted 1 864 111 tests, 33 950 of which were done in the last 24 hours.

The Western Cape remains the epicentre with 70 938 cases, followed by Gauteng 66 891, Eastern Cape 38 081 and KwaZulu-Natal 15 819.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are 11 327 790 cases globally and 532 340 deaths.

– SAnews.gov.za