Matthew Moonieya, recently appointed as an SACN board member representing Buffalo City Municipality, died on Friday 25 August 2006 while on an official visit to Sweden.

Sithole Mbanga, CEO of the SACN, says “we will miss Matthew’s dedication as a board member and his warm and consistent support as a friend of the Cities Network.”

The funeral service of Matthew Moonieya, Buffalo City director in the mayor’s office, will be organised privately at the request of his family, the Daily Dispatch reported.

Matthew died of a heart attack at a railway station during an official visit to Sweden last Friday.

Mayor Zintle Peter paid tribute to the late municipal spokesperson on behalf of the municipality. She said Moonieya was a tireless worker and advocate for the betterment of the city and its people.

He “threw himself wholeheartedly into the business of assisting the mayoral office in transforming and stabilising the municipality’s administration and building the image of the new municipality,” the mayor was reported as saying.

Peter added that it was not easy, as the municipality’s political leadership had faced challenges internally and externally. “Matthew spent many long and irregular hours trying to ensure that a fairer and accurate picture of the city was reflected to the public.”

She said Moonieya had been well-equipped to fulfill the critical backroom role of providing support to council leadership in communications and public relations.

Peter described Moonieya’s loyalty, humility and personal ethos as being derived from his Christian faith. “He was no work-to-rule bureaucrat and, in fact, had a healthy disdain for the red-tape that often seems to slow down municipal decision-making and service delivery.” Peter also said the municipality owed a gratitude to his immediate family for supporting him in advancing and defending the municipal interests.

“Our sympathies are extended to his wife, Gaye, and their son, as well as Matthew’s family from a previous marriage, whose pain and loss we share. We will miss him.”

Read the full story, posted by dispatch.co.za.

Source: Daily Dispatch