Johannesburg - The funeral of businessman Sandile Majali which was held in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape went ahead peacefully, his lawyer said.
“There was no violence and everyone who did speeches paid tribute to Majali,” said John Ngcebetsha.
He said over 3000 people had attended the burial.
Majali's family has been working with ANC leaders in the area and community leaders to ensure that the funeral is a “calm and non-violent one”, he said.
The 48-year-old Majali was found dead in his room at the Sandton Quatermain Hotel in Johannesburg on December 26.
Ngcebetsha maintains that it was highly unlikely that his death was a suicide.
Majali was arrested in October 2010 by the SA Police Service's commercial crimes unit for alleged fraud and was released on bail.
This was after the directorship of mining company, Kalahari Resources, was changed from Brian Amos Mashile and his sister Daphne Mashile-Nkosi to a group of eight people, including Majali.
The two siblings had to bring an urgent interdict before the High Court in Johannesburg to get themselves reinstated as directors of the company.
Majali was due to appear in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court again on January 18. - Sapa