Mabuza to deliver eulogy at legendary photographer Sam Nzima’s funeral

25 May 2018 - 14:25 By Naledi Shange
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Iconic photographer Sam Nzima
Iconic photographer Sam Nzima
Image: Sam Nzima

Deputy President David Mabuza will deliver the eulogy at the funeral of legendary photographer and struggle activist Sam Nzima on Saturday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa had ordered that the national flag be flown at half-mast at every flag station in the Mpumalanga province on the day of the funeral‚ which was declared a Special Provincial Official Funeral because of Nzima’s contribution to the country.

Nzima‚ a recipient of the Order of Ikhamanga‚ died almost two weeks ago in hospital. He was 83. Heis to be buried in Hazyview in Mpumalanga.

Nzima’s most iconic image was that of Hector Pieterson during the 1976 Soweto uprising. The famous apartheid-era picture‚ taken on June 16‚ showed Mbuyisa Makhubo carrying Pieterson.

After The World published the picture‚ Nzima was put under house arrest for 19 months in Lilydale‚ Mpumalanga.

Time magazine described the photo as one that made the world take notice of apartheid.

"Suddenly the world could no longer ignore apartheid. The seeds of international opposition that would eventually topple the racist system had been planted by a photograph‚" the magazine wrote.

Ramaphosa has hailed Nzima for the contribution he has made to the South Africa’s liberation.

“Through his lens‚ he placed the brutality of the apartheid police in the international spotlight‚” Ramaphosa said. 

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