Joost van der Westhuizen receives special provincial official funeral
President Jacob Zuma has declared a special provincial official funeral for late former Springbok captain and South African rugby legend Joost van der Westhuizen.
He passed away after a long battle with motor neuron disease on Monday.
"Mr van der Westhuizen will be remembered for his splendid talent and excellent leadership that he has displayed in the rugby national team and in the sports community at large which made him one of the best rugby players that the country has ever produced," says the Presidency in a statement.
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President Zuma, on behalf of government and all South Africans, has conveyed his heartfelt condolences to Van der Westhuizen's family and all in the sports fraternity.
The president has ordered that the national flag at all flag stations in Gauteng be flown at half-mast today, the day of van der Westhuizen's funeral.