Former Free State MEC Butana Komphela dies after Covid-19 hospital admission

24 January 2022 - 20:11
Former Free State roads MEC Butana Komphela has died. File picture.
Former Free State roads MEC Butana Komphela has died. File picture.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER

Former Free State police, roads and transport MEC Butana Komphela has died, his family confirmed to TimesLIVE on Monday.

He was 65.

The older brother to Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Steve Komphela died at the EmoyaMed private hospital in Bloemfontein shortly before 4pm.

Family spokesperson Mangaliso Alexander Xaba said Khompela had been admitted to hospital more than a month ago for Covid-19 related treatment.

“The family are awaiting the postmortem results to determine the cause of death,” he said.

He said the family was in mourning.

“It is indeed difficult for the family. To lose the head of a family is not an easy thing for anyone.”

In November, Komphela, who previously held positions as the MEC for health in the Free State and who also served as the National Assembly sports committee chair, was found guilty of culpable homicide for his involvement in an accident that claimed the life of 50-year-old Samuel Manyova.

In January 2019, Komphela veered into the right lane while travelling about 150km/h in an 80km zone from Theunissen to Bloemfontein.

Khompela's BMW collided with a VW polo with five occupants.

Manyova reportedly died at the scene while the other four occupants were injured.

Despite being found guilty and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, Khompela never served any prison time.

His sentence was wholly suspended for five years, meaning that if he had committed an offence of the similar nature within that period he would be sent to prison.

TimesLIVE

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