Republican Party member of parliament Clara //Gowases died of cancer in Windhoek on Monday.

She was 59.

This was confirmed by the Republican Party president Henk Mudge, while the National Assembly deputy speaker Loide Kasingo announced the news in the National Assembly this afternoon.

According to Mudge, //Gowases was initially admitted at the Lady Pohamba Private Hospital for a hip injury but was later diagnosed with cancer.

Mudge said //Gowases was admitted to the Namibian Oncology Centre last week and that she was doing fine on Friday last week.

Her condition, Mudge added, deteriorated on Monday.

//Gowases was elected the chairperson of the Republican Party in September 2009 and subsequently listed second on the party’s electoral list for the 2009 general election.