By Mziwandile Nkosi
Newly appointed ANC member of parliament Nomvula Khellinah Shoba has died of heart failure at a Joburg hotel after returning from President Jacob Zuma's inauguration in Pretoria.
Shoba reportedly suffered a heart failure on Saturday in front of the Mondior Concorde Hotel, which housed members of Parliament, at Emperors Palace.
Parliament spokesperson Luzuko Jacobs said: "She was getting off a bus returning with members of parliament from the presidential inauguration when she collapsed and later died."
A week ago, Shoba was reportedly driven home after she felt dizzy at a Cosatu May Day rally in Middelburg.
Cosatu's Mpumalanga chairperson, Raymond Mnguni, said that "Mama Khellinah" as she was affectionately known, had not been feeling well at the rally and had to be driven back home.
"We are still shocked of her death because she showed no signs of illness after the May Day rally," said Mnguni. Shoba was sworn in as a member of the National Assembly last week.
Born on September 29, 1956, she joined the ANC in 1990 and was involved in various provincial structures of the organisation and its alliance partners.
Mnguni said: "Mam' Khellinah was soft-hearted and a mother to all of us, and we'll miss her."
ANC parliamentary caucus spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said Shoba's death had robbed the organisation and people of South Africa of a militant and an uncompromising comrade who advanced women's issues with a passion.
"We dip our banner in honour of this gallant daughter of our nation and a servant of the working class," said Mothapo.
Shoba is survived by her husband, six children and five grandchildren.
Daughter Khulile Shoba said: "We still don't believe that she is gone because she was not ill, as far as we knew."