Former member of parliament and state capture whistle-blower Vytjie Mentor has passed away after battling a long illness.
Action SA leader Herman Mashaba confirmed Mentor’s passing saying that she had been ill for some time.
“This morning her family called to inform us that she had succumbed to her illness after being hospitalised for several months. It should not be forgotten that Vytjie Mentor was the first to sound the alarm on what we today call “State Capture”.
Mentor joined ActionSA as its Provincial Chairperson in the Western Cape. According to the party she was a “true patriot who served her country even in the face of criticism”.
“We will keep the family and friends of Vytjie in our thoughts and prayers and ask that her loved ones be given the privacy to grieve during this time.”
Mentor was among the first group of people who spoke out against the Gupta family’s involvement in appointing individuals to key positions in government during former president Jacob Zuma’s term in office.
Mentor fearlessly raised the alarm in 2016 about the issues of Gupta interference, taking the matter as far as to the then Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
She alleged that in 2010, the Gupta family offered her the position of Minister of Public Enterprises, if she could arrange that South African Airways drop their Johannesburg to Mumbai route, so that Jet Airways could acquire it.
She claimed that when the offer was made to her Jacob Zuma was in the room. The Guptas denied the allegations made against them.
Mentor testified before the Zondo commission, but her testimony was found to be inconsistent.
Source: The Citizen, IOL, Eyewitness News, Briefly, image from The Citizen: Refilwe Modise