President Ramaphosa announces official funerals for three distinguished South Africans

President Cyril Ramaphosa. File picture: GCIS

President Cyril Ramaphosa. File picture: GCIS

Published Aug 29, 2020

Share

Port Elizabeth - President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared special official provincial funerals for three distinguished South Africans who dedicated their lives to the struggle for freedom and democracy in South Africa.

The three distinguished individuals are Petrus Meyer fondly known as Oom Piet, of the Western Cape, and ambassador, Kgoṧi Mohlamme Piet Mathebe and David Mbulaheni Malada of Limpopo.

A special official provincial funeral category 2 entails elements of police ceremonial honours in line with the Presidency’s state, official and provincial official funeral policy, for distinguished persons specifically designated by the president.

Ramaphosa has authorised that the national flag be flown at half-mast at every flag station in the Western Cape and Limpopo provinces on the days of the funeral services.

Meyer held a number of public positions over 40 years including a number of responsibilities in the Western Cape provincial executive committee.

He also served as a chief whip and later deputy speaker in the Western Cape legislature. He also served as Head of Mission: South Africa Liaison Office in Taipei, Taiwan.

Meyer will be buried on Thursday, September 3.

Ambassador Kgoṧi Mohlamme Piet Mathebe passed away on Monday at the age of 59.

Mathebe was a decorated member of the African National Congress (ANC) military wing uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and was active in the liberation struggle from the 1970s, spending the better part of his life fighting to free his people from discrimination and oppression.

He underwent military training in Angola and became the first Camp Commander of MK’s Peter Nchabeleng Unit.

Mathebe became a member of parliament and served on various portfolio committees.

He subsequently served as South Africa’s High Commissioner to Zambia and later served as special advisor to the premier of Limpopo.

Mathebe will be buried on Sunday.

David Malada, 68, was a decorated member of the uMKhonto weSizwe who received his training in Angola. He began his distinguished role in the liberation struggle in the 1970s as well and was part of the June 16 Detachment who spent time at the Engineering Camp in Luanda.

Malada was involved in a number of operations and held several positions including serving as Chief of Intelligence of the Transvaal Rural machinery.

He later became a member of the Amandla cultural group that raised awareness across the world about the atrocities of the apartheid government and raised funds for the movement.

Malada played a pivotal role in the amalgamation of the former bantustans and the Transvaal provincial administration to form the Limpopo provincial administration.

At the time of his passing, Malada was a member of the executive committee of the Vhembe district municipality.

Malada will be buried on Saturday in Makode Tshipidani Prasinini in Sibasa, Limpopo province.

African News Agency (ANA)

Related Topics: