Lekota granted special official funeral
President Cyril Ramaphosa has granted the late former defence minister and Congress of the People (Cope) leader, Mosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota, a Special Official Funeral Category 2.
Lekota will be laid to rest in Bloemfontein next Saturday.
The struggle activist, who served as the inaugural chair of the National Council of Provinces, the Premier of the Free State, the Minister of Defence, and the co-founder of the Congress of the People, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 77.
President Ramaphosa has paid tribute to Lekota as “a patriot, freedom fighter, and servant of the people whose life story is closely intertwined with our journey of struggle and the realisation of democracy.”
“We honour him especially for his principled dedication to non-racialism during our struggle and in a liberated South Africa,” the president added.
“We deeply value his service to his home province, where he served as premier, and to our armed forces and our national security, in his role as Minister of Defence.”
The funeral will feature ceremonial elements provided by the South African Police Service.
President Ramaphosa has directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast at all flag stations from tomorrow morning until the evening of the funeral.
