“[His] funeral will take place on Wednesday‚ March 29 commencing at 10am at the Westpark Cemetery‚ Beyers Naude Drive‚ Johannesburg. Members of the public and the media are welcome to attend the funeral ceremony‚” the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said in a statement.
Former President Kgalema Motlanthe‚ who is also a board member of the foundation‚ was expected to address mourners at the funeral.
Meanwhile‚ President Jacob Zuma announced that Kathrada would be given a special official funeral.
“The President has instructed that the national flag fly at half-mast at every station in the country from today‚ 28 March until the evening of the official memorial service‚” a statement from his office said.
“President Zuma sends his deepest condolences to his partner‚ former minister of Public Enterprises Ms Barbara Hogan‚ the Kathrada family and his political home‚ the African National Congress‚ which Uncle Kathy served selflessly throughout his adult life.”
The presidency said Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was to lead the send-off.
Kathrada died at the Donald Gordon Hospital in Johannesburg shortly at 03.45am on Tuesday morning. He was 87.
He had been ill for the last month‚ with his condition deteriorating in the last 24 hours. Kathrada was taken in for surgery linked to blood clotting on the brain.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Director Neeshan Balton said that the veteran had “experienced several post-operation complications‚ rendering his condition serious” .
