OUDTSHOORN NEWS - Oudtshoorn Municipality this afternoon announced the passing of its legal services manager, Pumzo Tofile (55).
Tofile succumbed to Covid-19 related illness on Saturday 27 June in Cape Town.
Tofile, who joined the Oudtshoorn Municipality in 2012 as head of legal and contract services, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Cape Town hospital.
He is the first official of the Oudtshoorn Municipality who has succumbed to Covid-19.
Messages of condolences from colleagues and councillors have been pouring in since the news of his passing.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a person of Tofile’s calibre,” said councillor Mwati, acting mayor the Greater Oudtshoorn. She added: “Since I met him in 2016, Tofile displayed characteristics of diligence, obedience and friendliness, as he could absorb any pressure with ease, despite all the challenges he had to face in his demanding position of being a legal advisor for the Council.”
Oudtshoorn Municipality’s acting municipal manager, Mr Reginald Smit, whom Tofile was directly reporting to, described Tofile as a soft-spoken, dedicated official who performed his work with a high level of professionalism and diligence.
“You could feel his presence through the way he interacted with his colleagues, he was never out of line with his behaviour. We will miss him as a colleague and friend,” Smit said.
“Tofile became ill in Cape Town when he returned home for the last time during the Alert level 4 period. I spoke to him a few times during the time that he was ill. My last discussion was on the Saturday when he was admitted to the Vincent Palotti hospital. The last few days I interacted with his wife who updated us on his condition. We so hoped and pray for his recovery,” said Smit.
The funeral arrangements have not been finalised by the family as yet.
The Oudtshoorn Municipality is arranginge a guard of honour as part of a send-off for Tofile as his body will be passing from Cape Town through the Garden Route to his home town of Ezigodlo, Middledrift in the Eastern Cape, where he will be laid to rest.
The guard of honour will strictly adhere to Covid-19 regulations.
Tofile is survived by this wife Gcotyiswa and his two children, aged 10 years and 23 months.
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