Mzikayifane Elias Khumalo, known to colleagues as Mzi, has died at the age of 54, the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng confirmed on Monday.
Sudden collapse and emergency care
The provincial ANC said Khumalo was rushed to hospital after collapsing at his home in the early hours of Monday morning and died surrounded by family and friends. The party released a brief statement expressing condolences and said it would provide further details once the family and ANC leadership had finalised arrangements.
Longstanding provincial career
Khumalo had a long track record in Gauteng politics. He was a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 2019 and had for years been an active figure in ANC structures at local and provincial level. Before his election to the legislature he served as mayor of Randfontein Local Municipality from 2015 and continued in that role when the area was reconstituted as Rand West City Local Municipality, holding the mayoral office into 2019.
After joining the provincial legislature, Khumalo was appointed chief whip of the ANC caucus, a role he fulfilled until October 2022. Later that month he moved into the provincial executive as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, eGovernment and Research and Development, a position he held until the 2024 provincial election and the subsequent reshuffle that left him outside the executive council.
Party reaction and personal tributes
The ANC in Gauteng described Khumalo as a committed member whose contributions spanned municipal and provincial government. Senior provincial leaders paid tribute to his activism and public service.
“We have fought a lot of battles together and shared trenches as well. We have known each other from our days at COSAS and the ANC Youth League,” Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile said, adding Khumalo’s wisdom, commitment and loyalty would be dearly missed.
Friends and colleagues characterised the passing as sudden. Reports said Khumalo had recently completed a Master of Laws and was preparing to begin private legal practice, signalling plans beyond his political roles.
What this means for ANC communications
As the party’s provincial spokesperson, Khumalo played a central role in coordinating ANC messaging and media engagement across Gauteng. His death leaves a vacancy in a post that is typically busy during election cycles and local government disputes. The ANC provincial office said it would announce acting arrangements in due course.
- Age: 54
- Recent position: ANC Gauteng provincial spokesperson; former MEC and chief whip
- Municipal role: Mayor of Randfontein / Rand West City (2015–2019)
Chronology of key positions
| Position | Jurisdiction | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Randfontein / Rand West City Local Municipality | 2015–2019 |
| Member of Provincial Legislature | Gauteng Provincial Legislature | From 2019 |
| Chief Whip (ANC caucus) | Gauteng Legislature | Until Oct 2022 |
| MEC (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, eGovernment and R&D) | Gauteng Provincial Government | Oct 2022–2024 |
Next steps and public information
The ANC stated that it was awaiting confirmation from Khumalo’s family and from party leadership before releasing funeral details. Members of the public seeking to pay their respects should expect an official announcement on commemorative events once the family has been consulted.
For residents of Rand West and wider Gauteng, Khumalo’s death marks the loss of a visible municipal and provincial figure. His career bridged grassroots and provincial responsibilities at a time when local governance questions remain prominent in public debate.
Further updates will be reported as the ANC provides them and as the family makes arrangements public.
