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LAWYER LINDIFA MAMBA DIES OF COVID-19

09/12/2020 07:08:00 BY SIBONGILE SUKATI

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MBABANE – Eswatini has lost one of its astute legal eagles to a suspected COVID-19-related illness.

The deceased is Mbabane-based senior Attorney Lindifa Ronald Mamba (55), who reportedly passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning while receiving treatment at the Lubombo Referral Hospital in Siteki.

The shocking news was confirmed by his father, George Mamba, in an interview yesterday.

His father, who hails from Ngudzeni which is in the Shiselweni Region, did not give much details save to confirm that his son had passed on while he was admitted to the treatment centre for COVID-19 patients.

It could not be established when the deceased was admitted to the referral hospital.

The news of Mamba’s passing started spreading in the early hours of yesterday, with everyone, in particular those in the legal fraternity, reacting with absolute shock.

The mood at Mamba’s practice, which is styled LR Mamba and Associates, was described as very sombre by some of the employees and other associates who conveyed their condolences to the staff members.

The offices are situated at Sokhamlilo Building in Mbabane.

Mamba had a BA, LLB and was an attorney with about 30 years experience, in particular in commercial and civil law.

Meanwhile, the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS), through its President Lucky Howe, asked not to comment on Mamba’s death for the time-being.

“We would rather not comment at this time, as it is a bit too sensitive,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the LSS, Thulani Maseko, had referred all questions to Howe. Another attorney, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mamba’s demise was a huge loss to the legal fraternity in the country as he was one of the few senior attorneys who had commanded respect.

Condolences

“He loved the law, loved life and I can only send my deepest condolences to his family and friends because he was certainly a breath of fresh air,” he said.

Several prominent people have died of suspected COVID-19 related illnesses and these include former Hhohho Regional Administrator Prince Tshekedi, former Senator Chief Nzameya Nhlabatsi, Eswatini Building Society Managing Director Tim Nhleko and former Mbabane Highlanders Football Club coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati. The Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, in its statement yesterday reported that over the past 24 hours, one death had been recorded. It was stated that the deceased was a 55-year-old man from the Hhohho Region, who died in one of the health facilities where he was undergoing treatment for COVID-19-related complications.

The first COVID-19-related death was recorded on April 16, 2020, which was of a 59-year-old liSwati man. Mamba’s demise comes at a time when he had been appointed by the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, as chairperson of the Losses Committee. The Losses Committee is a body which is tasked with the purpose of investigating the loss of public property.

The appointment was made through Legal Gazette No.4 of 2020 and was for a period of three years. The committee had a task of reviewing over 10 cases forwarded to it by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when its report was adopted by the House of Assembly about two weeks ago.

In September 2015, the late attorney was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of South African Coal Mining Holdings Limited, where he was described as a Senior Partner of LR Mamba and Associates, a director of a number of private companies and legal advisor to a number of parastatals in Eswatini.