Queen Noloyiso Sandile
PRETORIA, July 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A royal family in South Africa has confirmed the death of Queen Noloyiso Sandile from Covid-19.
A sister to the current Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini, she served as regent of the amaRharhabe royal family.
Queen Noloyiso was married to the amaRharhabe monarch, Maxhoba Sandile, for over two decades until his death in 2011.
She was then made the regent as her son, Prince Jonguxolo Sandile, was too young to become king.
The 56-year-old had been admitted at a hospital for COVID-19-related complications, the public broadcaster SABC reported.
President Cyril Ramaphosa described her as “a bastion of traditional values and an inspiring and principled leader of her people”.
South Africa has seven officially recognised monarchs representing different ethnic groups and clans.
Ramaphosa said: “Under her able leadership, the amaRharhabe firmly grasped the nettle of change and adapted to the demands of modern society, all the while holding proudly to their history, traditions and identity.”
He also commended her as a champion of rural women who challenged patriarchy in her community: “At a time when we face a grave public health emergency in the form of coronavirus, Queen Noloyiso actively mobilised support for the national effort to combat the pandemic, including calling on communities to halt traditional initiations.”
“The united stand taken by the seven kingdoms in this regard was a critical intervention to save lives, and we owe a debt to the Queen for the role she played.”
South Africa now has the world’s 14th highest number of Covid-19 infections globally and officials are concerned that the virus’s “doubling rate” is currently higher than all countries with more cases than South Africa.
South Africa is in the middle of winter when the spread of coronavirus is expected to increase drastically.
And it is beginning to happen – 192 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours – the highest so far. More than 10,000 new infections were recorded over the same period.
The Western Cape has the most cases currently, with just over 72,000 infections.
But Guateng, the country’s economic hub, is set to become the new epicentre of the disease in the next few days.
Prof Salim Abdool Karim, chairperson of the Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee, said the virus was spreading fastest in Gauteng for two reasons:
The province has the highest traffic of foreign and domestic employees, and Gauteng also has the highest population density.
Although the re-opening of more industries is deemed necessary to save the economy, the government has asked South Africans to continue taking precautions to help slow down the spread of the virus.
At least 3,470 people in South Africa have died from the disease. — NNN-AGENCIES
