SA wants Ramaphosa to declare the queen's funeral a holiday

SA has pleaded with President Cyril to declare Monday a public holiday, as some parts of the world have done, to mark Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

The British monarch died last week and will have a state funeral on Monday at the Palace of Westminster, London.

In some parts of the world, business will close to observe the funeral set to take place at 11am.

Ramaphosa will attend, alongside many other world leaders.

The presidency said Ramaphosa will embark on a “working visit to the US and the UK to respectively build relations with SA's third largest trade partner”.

“On Saturday, September 17, President Ramaphosa will travel from Washington DC to London to attend events associated with the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“After his arrival in London on Sunday, September 18, the president will attend the king’s reception — a reception hosted by His Majesty King Charles III in honour of heads of state and government and guests invited to attend the state funeral service — at Buckingham Palace.

“On Monday, September 19, the president will be among world leaders attending the state funeral service for Her Majesty The Queen at Westminster Abbey, London.”

After the funeral, Ramaphosa will attend a reception for heads of state and government and other guests in the precincts of Westminster Abbey, hosted by UK foreign secretary James Cleverly.

On social media, many said as Ramaphosa was attending the proceedings in London, he should make it a public holiday to allow the country to observe the funeral.

Some joked that if the country does not get a public holiday, it will appear as if it is not devastated.

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