Late Professor Bongani Mayosi’s family says he was never the same after the fees must fall student protests.
The family says he was unable to handle the insults hurled at him by protestors. The world-famous cardiologist committed suicide last week and was laid to rest in Cape Town on Saturday.
He was given the Mapungubwe Award in 2009, which is South Africa’s highest honour.
Prof Mayosi’s death is a great loss to the Health Sciences fraternity. There are concerns that the student protests may have been a factor.
Mayosi’s sister, Advocate Ncumisa says, “The vitriolic character of student engagements tore him apart. The abrasive do or die scorched earth approach adopted by navigating what was a legitimate cause completely vandalised Bongani’s soul.”
Chairperson of UCT Council, Sipho Pityana says, “You just needed to pick up a newspaper or go on social media to see just how many lives Bongani touched. We need to view each other as human beings and treat each other with kindness. What else could we have done? Only Bongani has the answers.”
Mayosi may have been world-renowned but his family was always placed first.
Nosipho, Mayosi’s daughter, in a letter to her dad spoke about what a great example he was and all the great lessons he taught them.
Mayosi’s academic research spans three decades.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says, “Talking about Prof Mayosi’s achievements such as the order of Mapungubwe and everything else he achieved before the age of 50… but Bongani had so much more to offer to his country.”
Mayosi leaves behind his mother, wife, three daughters, his brother and three sisters.
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