A former struggle activist, ANC MP and Eastern Cape mayor was among 22 people killed in a deadly weekend on provincial roads.
William Mabone Duna, 66, Robben Islander and former mayor of Mnquma, drowned on Saturday when his vehicle was swept away after he attempted to cross the torrential Nxaxho River in Centane.
He and an unnamed woman passenger, apparently his 49-year-old neighbour, died.
Most of last weekend’s accidents were blamed by the authorities on poor visibility, heavy rain and wind.
Duna was sent to Robben Island where he served as a political prisoner between 1981 and 1987.
He was deployed as one of the first ANC MPs under Nelson Mandela’s presidency after the first democratic elections in 1994.
Yesterday his son, Mayi-buye Duna, said his father and the neighbour were in his dad’s red bakkie when it was washed away.
He said his father’s vehicle veered off the bridge after rainfall on Saturday.
The woman’s body was discovered on the river banks early on Sunday, while Duna’s body was retrieved later after a long search by police divers summoned from East London.
Mayibuye said the details surrounding his father’s death were sketchy.
“He was not feeling well on the day and he took my mother to a traditional function in a nearby village before heading for home.
“From what we gather, he was spotted buying airtime at a local shop while he had an unknown male passenger in the vehicle.
“We do not know when and where he met up with the woman who is a neighbour and what happened to the male passenger he was last seen with,” said the grieving son.
He said this was not the first fatal accident at the crossing, which he described as “dangerous on rainy days”.
Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha yesterday confirmed that Duna and the unnamed female passengers’ bodies were discovered by police divers from East London, a day after the accident.
He said the accident occurred just after 2pm.
Duna joined Mnquma as a senior councillor in 2000 and again in 2006.
Against the orders of the ANC provincial executive, he was elected mayor by his council in late 2007.
Mbulelo Ntenjwa, who served with him on the council, said Duna resigned as ANC mayor in 2008 when Congress of the People (COPE) was formed.
“I met ‘Zikhali’ in 1987 when he came out of prison.
He was instrumental in the politics of the region and was part of those who led the first ANC structures in the then-Transkei region.
“I served under him as a council speaker when he was mayor.
“I also followed after him to join COPE, where he served as the party’s leader in the Amathole district municipality.
“He was one of those gallant fighters who sustained head injuries during a chaotic COPE congress in Pretoria a few years back,” Ntenjwa said.
Duna left COPE and joined the United Congress party.
Duna, who leaves behind his wife and six children, will be buried in Centane on May 21. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Struggle stalwart dies after his car swept away in heavy rains
A former struggle activist, ANC MP and Eastern Cape mayor was among 22 people killed in a deadly weekend on provincial roads.
William Mabone Duna, 66, Robben Islander and former mayor of Mnquma, drowned on Saturday when his vehicle was swept away after he attempted to cross the torrential Nxaxho River in Centane.
He and an unnamed woman passenger, apparently his 49-year-old neighbour, died.
Most of last weekend’s accidents were blamed by the authorities on poor visibility, heavy rain and wind.
Duna was sent to Robben Island where he served as a political prisoner between 1981 and 1987.
He was deployed as one of the first ANC MPs under Nelson Mandela’s presidency after the first democratic elections in 1994.
Yesterday his son, Mayi-buye Duna, said his father and the neighbour were in his dad’s red bakkie when it was washed away.
He said his father’s vehicle veered off the bridge after rainfall on Saturday.
The woman’s body was discovered on the river banks early on Sunday, while Duna’s body was retrieved later after a long search by police divers summoned from East London.
Mayibuye said the details surrounding his father’s death were sketchy.
“He was not feeling well on the day and he took my mother to a traditional function in a nearby village before heading for home.
“From what we gather, he was spotted buying airtime at a local shop while he had an unknown male passenger in the vehicle.
“We do not know when and where he met up with the woman who is a neighbour and what happened to the male passenger he was last seen with,” said the grieving son.
He said this was not the first fatal accident at the crossing, which he described as “dangerous on rainy days”.
Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha yesterday confirmed that Duna and the unnamed female passengers’ bodies were discovered by police divers from East London, a day after the accident.
He said the accident occurred just after 2pm.
Duna joined Mnquma as a senior councillor in 2000 and again in 2006.
Against the orders of the ANC provincial executive, he was elected mayor by his council in late 2007.
Mbulelo Ntenjwa, who served with him on the council, said Duna resigned as ANC mayor in 2008 when Congress of the People (COPE) was formed.
“I met ‘Zikhali’ in 1987 when he came out of prison.
He was instrumental in the politics of the region and was part of those who led the first ANC structures in the then-Transkei region.
“I served under him as a council speaker when he was mayor.
“I also followed after him to join COPE, where he served as the party’s leader in the Amathole district municipality.
“He was one of those gallant fighters who sustained head injuries during a chaotic COPE congress in Pretoria a few years back,” Ntenjwa said.
Duna left COPE and joined the United Congress party.
Duna, who leaves behind his wife and six children, will be buried in Centane on May 21. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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