The Nemaranzhe royal council is mourning the death of the treasurer of the Mvudi branch of the ANC Women's League and deputy chairperson of the Moral Regeneration Movement in the Vhembe region, Ms Alilali Nemaranzhe.
Nemaranzhe (66), of Thohoyandou P East, was described as community builder, political activist, and mother of the nation because of her devotion to helping the communities without compromise, said the family spokesperson and younger sister of the deceased, Cllr Nkhumeleni Nemaranzhe.
Nemaranzhe was also installed as khadzi (princess) of the Nemaranzhe clan, who works closely with the traditional leader of the village in developing the Maranzhe village.
According to Cllr Nemaranzhe, her elder sister died on 30 June after a short illness and was later buried in the Gondeni-Lahamabilu graveyard on Saturday, a fortnight ago.
She was a political activist who joined politics during the Soweto Uprising in 1976 and never turned back. The traditional leader of Maranzhe, Chief Dzudzanyani Nemaranzhe, said when she was installed as the leader of the village in 2018, she had chosen Makhadzi Vho-Alilali Nemaranzhe as her aid in developing the village.
"She was a person of love and used to give us advice on the right direction of leading the communities. During some disputes in the Nemaranzhe clan, she was called and acted as neutral person to help resolve the matter," said Chief Nemaranzhe.
According to Chief Nemaranzhe, the village is situated in a deep rural place, where they experienced water shortages and, with the intervention of Makhadzi Alilali, "we used to be connected to get clean water from the tinkering truck."
She left behind two children and her younger sister.