Johannesburg - Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau is one of three “chief mourners” at the memorial service for former president Nelson Mandela, the city said on Tuesday.
“The City of Johannesburg's executive mayor... has received the honour of being chosen as one of the three chief mourners at... Mandela's memorial and funeral service,” spokesman Gabu Tugwana
said in a statement.
“Councillor Tau will stand alongside the other two chief mourners, namely a Mandela family member and the President of South Africa Jacob Zuma.”
Tugwana said it was customary for the chief mourners to be seated within the inner circle of mourners, and to offer support to the grieving family.
“The status of chief mourner is a privilege and an honour to councillor Tau, who also served as a member of the ANC Orlando West branch with Mandela while he was president of South Africa,” he said.
Mandela died at his Houghton, Johannesburg, home on Thursday at the age of 95. He will be buried in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, on Sunday. - Sapa