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First woman MP passes on

13/01/2011 00:00:00 SIBONGILE SUKATI

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MBABANE — Loma-sontfo Martha Dludlu, the first elected woman Member of Parliament, has died.

Dludlu, who was Maphalaleni MP from 1993 to 1998, died on Monday at her home after a long illness.

This was confirmed by her first-born son, James Dludlu, yesterday.

Dludlu gained popularity during her era as MP when she declared she was illiterate but knew she had come to Parliament to work for her community.

James, said Dludlu suffered a stroke in June 2008 and since then had become sickly. She died at the age of 64.

"After she suffered the stroke, other opportunistic illnesses then took over and she spent the last couple of years of her life in and out of hospital," said James.

Dludlu was MP during the period when both the late Prime Minister Prince Mbilini and Speaker Musa Nsibandze were still in office.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Themba Masuku, who was then Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said all she wanted when she was MP was for her community to develop.

Masuku said the deceased was action-driven and even during debates she would ask the ministers what had already been done and did not understand what the various formalities in Parliament were for.

"She believed that before one sorted out national issues they should start solving problems in their own constituencies," said Masuku.

Masuku said her community had lost a very wise woman and expressed his condolences.

According to her son Dludlu, she will be buried next week Sunday. She is survived by six children and 35 grandchildren.

...Tinkhundla system is not discriminatory - AG

MBABANE — The Attorney General, Majahenkaba Dlamini, has said the fact that former MP Lomasontfo Dludlu made it into Parliament is proof that the Tinkhundla system is not discriminatory.

Dlamini was colleagues with Dludlu in Parliament when he was Nkaba MP.

Dlamini said being illiterate did not limit Dludlu in doing her job and said she was more concerned about her constituents, particularly because she represented about nine chiefs in Maphalaleni.

"Even during debates she would ask how that particular debate would benefit the constituents and she quickly caught on," said Dlamini.

He sent his condolences to her family. Former Speaker Mgabhi Dlamini said Dludlu represented those who had elected her very well.

"Even when we were at workshops in hotels she would ensure that her consti-tuency was brought up," said Dlamini.

He said she had worked very diligently.