Johannesburg - The ANC in Johannesburg has expressed sadness at the death of Pat Lephunya, a civic leader who was instrumental in the transformation of townships across Johannesburg.
Lephunya work closely with former mayor Amos Masondo, who championed the development of Soweto with the planting of trees, building of roads and infrastructure that made the township comfortable to live in for those who called it home.
Lephunya, who died of natural causes, left the City of Joburg when the ANC lost power to the DA in 2016, but his contribution has remained in the hearts and minds of his comrades and township residents.
Family spokesperson Strike Ralegoma told The Star that Lephunya was instrumental in the amalgamation of different municipalities which came together to form the City of Joburg.
“The process of these municipalities coming together started before 1994 and Pat was one of the figures central to this process,” Ralegoma said.
He said Lephunya was responsible for the development of region D, which consisted of a great part of Soweto.
“Today Thokoza Park looks the way it does because of his efforts, there are malls in Soweto, there are clinics which are well run in Soweto, and there are houses which have a good value and are in good locations because of the development in Soweto,” Ralegoma said.
The regional secretary of the ANC, Sasa Manganye, said the region had lost a pioneer and a great leader of the movement.
“Comrade Pat Lephunya made a sterling contribution in the betterment of South Africa post the democratic breakthrough and served as one of the founding members and practitioners of the first democratic local government in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality,” Manganye said.
Manganye described Lephunya as a civic leader of note who was passionate about the development of townships.
“During his service in the City of Johannesburg he was charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating Soweto development,” Manganye said.
Lephunya will be buried this weekend with a memorial service expected to be held in his honour on Thursday.
The Star