A slain Buffalo City Metro councillor has been hailed as a dedicated and extraordinary leader, a peacemaker, great scientist and dedicated and humble public servant whose passion was for better service delivery for the people of the metro.
Speakers at an emotional memorial service in Mdantsane’s NU8 on Wednesday reminisced about how much as a leader, friend, colleague and comrade Ntombikayise Kayise Tom had changed their lives.
Tom, 59, died on May 4, having spent nearly four months in hospital after she was shot outside her home in Mdantsane on January 8
Another senior BCM official, Nceba Ncunyana, was gunned down in 2023.
Speakers also called for swift investigations that would lead to the arrest of those responsible for the shooting of Tom, a mother of three.
Tom joined the municipality in 2002 as a chief technician in the scientific division and was the corporate services mayoral committee member at the time of the shooting.
An emotional mayor Princess Faku, who broke down before addressing the hundreds of mourners at the Nondlwana Methodist Church, said Tom had been her pillar of strength.
She said Tom had been acting as mayor on the day she was shot.
“She was so brave. She died brave,” Faku said.
“What worries me most is that as we want to serve the country there are people who want to kill us. I’m losing the finest.”
Addressing the family, Faku said Tom had died with her boots on.
“Whoever killed comrade Kayise, may you never rest, may you have sleepless nights, may you die the day comrade Kayise died.”
She said Tom had been the best deputy chair.
She had learnt from her to be humble and not be provoked.
A bursary and a community hall would be named after Kayise, Faku said.
Tom’s family said they had been hoping she would recover and were shattered by her death.
Family spokesperson Siviwe Nene said Tom had been a pillar of strength.
On January 9, he received a call from one of his nieces and rushed to Tom’s home.
“She loved the ANC,” Nene said.
“When we visited her and she was not in a good mood we would talk about the ANC.
“She would start campaigning for the ANC at home.
“I’m surprised that she was described as a quiet person, but she would give one a chance to talk and respond.
“Everyone at home is crying. We have lost our hope.
“I don’t want to point fingers. I’m not an investigator. We [appreciate] the support we have received.”
Corporate services department head Bob Naidoo said Tom had been a humble academic and a great leader from whom he had learnt a lot.
“She knew her space of when to be a politician and administrator. That takes special character,” he said.
“She taught us it’s not about us but the community we serve.
“We need more of the late councillor Tom.
“She always displayed very deep care for employees’ welfare and she was solution-driven.
“Her demise has left us very hurt.”
Zininzi Matyingane, a friend and colleague of Tom and BCM’s women’s caucus chair, lamented the shooting of Tom.
“I would have much to say if she was ill and we took her to hospital for treatment, but because of the way she departed I will stop here.
“Today I’m the chair of the caucus because of her teachings.
“What’s painful is that her soul left her body because of a trigger that was pulled by a man. They killed a warrior.
“It’s enough now. The blood that spilt at Tom’s homestead gate must speak.
“She was in pain for months. As women in Rubusana we say enough is enough.”
Council chief whip Nozandile Mhlola said they were paying tribute to a person who had dedicated her life to the liberation of BCM people.
“We have lost a person of great stature.
“In council meetings, she was respectful.
“It’s very painful for the institution and bad for the ANC. We as councillors need to find what the cause was.
“We need the investigation [to find the shooters] speedily.
“The perpetrators must be brought to book and face the full might of the law.”
Council speaker Humphrey Maxegwana said that in honour of Tom, services must be delivered to the people.
Co-operative governance MEC Xolile Nqatha, speaking on behalf of the government and addressing Tom’s family, said they were proud of her.
“We celebrate her life. She has played her role.
“May we cut a pattern from her as we head towards May 29 elections because she was trustworthy and humble.”
Nqatha implored Faku to name something after Tom in her honour.
“We are taking steps to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.
“We have information, but we need to turn it into evidence.
“We are at that stage now. We want to assure you that we are on this,” Nqatha said
He said they were working to root out crime.
Tom will be buried on Saturday.
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