Details surrounding her death are not clear at this stage, but her family confirmed her death at a Johannesburg hospital on Sunday to Kaya FM. She was a trained Cordon Bleu chef, food stylist and recipe developer with a career spanning more than four decades. She was also SA’s first black food writer, and was the former editor and food editor of True Love and Drum magazines.

She published a recipe book titled _40 Years of Iconic Food last year, _which told the story of her life through recipes. She travelled to 19 countries on the African continent, and her experiences there contributed towards her book Cooking From Cape To Cairo, published in 1999. A few weeks ago, Sitole gave 702 her background story, explaining she started off working in the corporate industry. She was unsatisfied and craved change, and her husband then suggested she work for a magazine that wanted a person who could cook. She said she took the opportunity even though she had no idea what the job would require of her.

Speaking to eNCA on Monday, fellow chef Siba Mtongana remembered Sitole as an icon and mentor. "Mam'Dora was so generous with her time. She was very generous with her knowledge and information," Mtongana said with a shaking voice. "If you were to call her and say you needed help with this and that, in terms of information, she would freely give. I think that has been not only my experience but the experience of many youngsters who have come after myself." Sitole was also a parent to South African actor and Star Trek Discovery star, Phumzile Sitole.