Ramaphosa declares official state funerals for three 'dedicated' South Africans

Three South Africans who “dedicated their lives to the struggle for freedom and democracy” will be given official state funerals, the presidency announced on Friday night.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared special provincial funerals for Petrus Meyer (better known as “Oom Piet”, ambassador Kgosi Piet Mathebe and David Mbulaheni Malada. Meyer's funeral will be in the Western Cape, and Mathebe's and Malada's in Limpopo.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast at every flag station in the Western Cape and Limpopo provinces on the days of the funeral services.

Meyer held a number of public positions over 40 years, including a number of responsibilities in the Western Cape provincial executive committee. He was also chief whip and deputy speaker in the Western Cape legislature — and a diplomat in Taiwan.

His burial is scheduled for September 3.

Mathebe died on August 24. He was a member of the ANC's military wing and active in the liberation struggle from the 1970s. He “spent the better part of his life fighting to free his people from discrimination and oppression”, the presidency said.

He was an MP, served as high commissioner to Zambia and as a special adviser to the Limpopo premier.

His burial is scheduled for this weekend, August 30.

Like Mathebe, Malada, was a member of uMkhonto weSizwe. According to the presidency, he “played a pivotal role in the amalgamation of the former bantustans and the Transvaal provincial administration to form the Limpopo provincial administration”.

He was a member of the Vhembe district municipality's executive committee at the time of his death.

His burial is scheduled for August 29.

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