Special official funeral for judge 'KK' Mthiyane, who died of Covid-19

The late judge Khayelihle “KK” Kenneth Mthiyane — who died from Covid-19 related complications on Thursday — will be given a special official funeral, the government announced on Monday.

“After his passing, President Cyril Ramaphosa has honoured him by designating his funeral as a special official funeral, category 2,” read a statement from government. This type of funeral is for distinguished individuals and contains elements of police ceremonial honours.

Mthiyane's funeral service will be held at Natal Sharks Board in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday. He will be laid to rest at the Redhill cemetery.

“In keeping with the Covid-19 alert level 3 lockdown protocols now in place, the number of funeral attendees will be kept to the maximum of 50 people,” government said.

The funeral proceedings would be broadcast live on various online platforms for those who cannot attend the proceedings physically. Those wishing to send their tributes and message of condolences were encouraged to do so electronically.

Last week, TimesLIVE reported that Mthiyane died just days after his wife, S’thandiwe.

He had served as deputy president of the appeal court from 2012 to 2014, and acted at the Constitutional Court in 2011.

Mthiyane was admitted as an attorney in 1975 and his firm KK Mthiyane and Company in Durban dealt mainly with public interest and political cases. He also had a general commercial, civil and criminal practice — involving litigants from disadvantaged communities, according to his biography on the Constitutional Court website.

Mthiyane joined the Durban Bar in 1984 and took silk in 1995. He was appointed a judge in 1997 and a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2001.

He is survived by four daughters.

TimesLIVE