Keetmanshoop councillor dies

GERTRUDE Abrahams, who served two terms on the Keetmanshoop Town Council, died in the Katutura State Hospital on Monday after a long battle with diabetes.

A member of the Congress of Democrats (CoD), Abrahams served on the town’s first post-independence Town Council and returned after the last local authority elections in May 2004. In 1994, Abrahams became the first black woman to be elected as deputy Mayor of Keetmanshoop.Before her death, she served on the management committee as chairperson and vice-chairperson.Abrahams was born at Berseba on July 4, 1955 and worked as a nurse in Windhoek and Keetmanshoop before entering politics.”This is a sad time for Keetmanshoop.We have lost a friend, mentor and visionary,” says Keetmanshoop Mayor Simon Petrus Tiboth.”I have known the late Councillor Abrahams for many years and her passing on leaves a great void.We will miss Tannie Magret’s [as she was popularly known] gentle wit, but most of all we will miss her humanity,” Tiboth said.Abrahams is survived by her husband, Ismael, three sons and two daughters.The funeral service will take place at the St.Nicholas AME Church in Keetmanshoop on Saturday, 21 January at 14h00.For more information, contact Cedric at 081 281 9472 or Mrs Yon at 081 205 5440In 1994, Abrahams became the first black woman to be elected as deputy Mayor of Keetmanshoop.Before her death, she served on the management committee as chairperson and vice-chairperson.Abrahams was born at Berseba on July 4, 1955 and worked as a nurse in Windhoek and Keetmanshoop before entering politics.”This is a sad time for Keetmanshoop.We have lost a friend, mentor and visionary,” says Keetmanshoop Mayor Simon Petrus Tiboth.”I have known the late Councillor Abrahams for many years and her passing on leaves a great void.We will miss Tannie Magret’s [as she was popularly known] gentle wit, but most of all we will miss her humanity,” Tiboth said.Abrahams is survived by her husband, Ismael, three sons and two daughters.The funeral service will take place at the St.Nicholas AME Church in Keetmanshoop on Saturday, 21 January at 14h00.For more information, contact Cedric at 081 281 9472 or Mrs Yon at 081 205 5440