JOHANNESBURG –The Pan African Parliament (PAP) at the weekend announced "with regret, the loss of Hon. Elhadj Diao Kante, a national of Guinea Conakry" who was in SA as one of the members of that House.
Kante succumbed to a cancer-related illness last week on Thursday morning in South Africa. He had been hospitalised since the May Parliamentary session that took place in Midrand.
In a statement, president of the PAP, Roger Nkodo Dang, said: "Parliament is saddened by the loss of Hon. Kante, especially as this comes shortly after the former president of PAP departed in the same manner".
He said Kante’s death "will be deeply felt" not only by his family and nation, but the entire African continent.
“Since he joined the continental Parliament in in March 2014, Hon. Kante has made an ineradicable contribution to the mandate of our institution," said Dang.
Pan-African Parliament MP Elhadj Diao Kante from Guinea Conakry died on Thursday, 13 June 2019 in South Africa. Picture: Pan-African Parliament.
"He selflessly served with dedication and bravery; it is for this reason that we shall forever cherish and celebrate his life as one of our African heroes.”
Kante was a member of the PAP Permanent Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution.
"While details about his memorial and burial services are awaited from the Kante family, the Pan African Parliament flags will fly at half-mast in Midrand, while a condolence book will be opened for mourners to register their messages during the mourning period," said the statement issued on Saturday by media officer for the PAP Jeffrey Onganga.
Kante was born on 15 February 1943.