President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that former deputy president David Mabuza will be honoured with a category two state funeral on Saturday
Category two state funerals are for the deputy president, an acting president or former deputy president, and are conducted with prescribed military ceremonial honours.
Ramaphosa has also declared that a period of national mourning will be observed from today until the evening of Saturday July 12. During this period, the national flag must be flown at half-mast at all flag stations around the country.
Yesterday ANC officials, including Mpumalanga premier Mandla Ndlovu and the president of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA, Kgoshi Mathupa Mokoena, visited the Mabuza family.
According to Mokoena, Mabuza left a legacy in Mpumalanga thatd some provinces should learn from and emulate by respecting and supporting traditional leaders.
Speaking to the media outside Mabuza’s farmhouse in Barberton, where he was flanked by other traditional healers, Mokoena said Mpumalanga was the best province in supporting traditional leaders, and that started when Mabuza was premier of the province.
“We came here to pay respects to one of our own, who in his time as premier made sure that traditional leadership is respected and taken care of,” Mokoena said.
“We have livestock, cars and traditional offices that are fenced and beautiful, that’s why we are here, even with the house of traditional leaders from Mozambique, a hero has fallen.
“Mpumalanga is number one in all provinces in terms of delivering to traditional leaders. We are bleeding because he did something that no deputy president has done – visiting all traditional leaders in all provinces when he collected whatever we needed from the cabinet to be looked after.
“We saying to the family you are not alone; we are with you and we are hopeful that had Mabuza been alive now, he would continue to influence on our behalf in government for us to benefit.
“He would instruct departments to act … or he would do it himself,” said Mokoena.
Ndlovu said Mabuza was a unifier, who loved the ANC and was also passionate about service delivery.
“Here we have lost a unifier, someone who made sure that the ANC is united and was keen to see the government delivering services to the people of Mpumalanga.
“He loved education and also encouraged youngsters to work towards their education. As the province, we are mourning Mabuza and remembering him by making sure that we unite the ANC and that those deployed deliver services to the people so that we regain the trust of the people in the province,” said Ndlovu.
Mokoena called for the government not to be reluctant in dealing with issues affecting traditional leaders and also dismissed reports that there’s no space for traditional leaders to feature in the politics of the ANC.
SowetanLIVE