Respected parliament secretary dies

SECRETARY to parliament Michael Coetzee died in Cape Town on Friday after a long battle with cancer.

Coetzee, 55, was widely respected as a strict, honest, hard-working public servant and had been secretary to parliament — the institution’s most senior administrative position — since 2012.

He was active in the struggle for democratic freedom and was a trade unionist who became a human resources specialist after serving as head of the Western Cape Workers’ College.

He came to parliament in 2002 from Gauteng, where he had served as secretary to the provincial legislature.

During the Travelgate scandal, he worked tirelessly to get to the bottom of what had really happened. His warnings, both against those who were covering up the truth and those who exaggerated it, were well heeded.

His contention that the truth was nuanced — that some MPs benefited knowingly but that many others were hoodwinked by travel agents — was proven to be correct in subsequent court processes.

National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete, National Council of Provinces chair Thandi Modise and DA chief whip John Steenhuisen expressed sadness yesterday at Coetzee’s passing.

He is survived by his mother, wife Bridgette and son Matthew. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.