Steve Tshwete local Municipality website Tsietsi Tolo died on his 69th birthday. He was admitted to hospital on 29 December after testing positive for Covid-19. He has been praised for his work ethic and leadership skills. Steve Tshwete local municipality mayor in Mpumalanga, Tsietsi Tolo, has died of Covid-19 complications on his 69th birthday. In a statement on Tuesday, municipal manager, Bheki Khenisa said the municipality had suffered a great loss and praised Tolo for his proactive work ethic. "We console ourselves with the fact that he died a heroic death, a death coinciding with his birthday today, 2 February, reminiscent of well-known folks such as William Shakespeare and others who died on their birthday," said Khenisa.