The Eastern Cape Department of Transport is in mourning following the passing away of the Senior Manager for Human Resource Management, Mr Richard Fonte this morning.
Zikhali, as Mr Fonte was affectionately known, was killed in a car accident, on the N6 near Queenstown while on his way to a departmental meeting.
He was one of three people killed when his Mercedes Benz caught fire following a head on collision with an oncoming car. The accident is believed to have occurred close to a bend while one of the vehicles was overtaking another car.
Two people were killed in the second car.
After hearing the sad news, all officials of the department at the head office in King Williams Town convened an emotional prayer session with most of them in tears.
This sudden and unexpected nature of his death has left his colleagues in shock, dismay and utter disbelief. His Supervisor and Chief Director for Corporate Services Mr Eugene Dupre, who was one of the first people to hear of the accident, described Mr Fonte as someone with an exceptional mind.
"In the two years that I have worked with him, he struck me as a responsible, competent and selfless worker, often misunderstood for guarding jealously over the state's interest. We will all be enriched if we were to take just a little from the example he set in this regard," said Dupre.
Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Ghishma Barry paid homage, referring to him as a man of integrity who fought for what he believed in and a great man who was a shining example of a civil service cadre required to advance the interest of the developmental state.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 442 2388
Issued by: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
10 June 2010
Source: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
(http://www.ectransport.gov.za/)
