LEGENDARY playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema will be honoured with a special provincial official category two.
That was after KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube requested President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare his funeral a special provincial official category two.
Ngema (68) from Nhlwathi, northern KZN died in a car crash on his way from the Eastern Cape to KZN on Wednesday, 27 December.
The Sarafina maker will be laid to rest on Friday, 5 January in Durban. His funeral service will be held at the Durban ICC while his memorial service will be held at The Playhouse in Durban on Wednesday, 3 January.
Dube-Ncube has expressed her gratitude to Ramaphosa for granting Ngema a special provincial official funeral.
The special provincial official funeral category two, which includes elements of police ceremonial honours, is reserved for distinguished people specifically designated by the president of South Africa on request from the premier of a province.
Dube-Ncube said Ngema distinguished himself as a true South African legend who used creative art and theatre to contribute to the fight for freedom the country is enjoying today.
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“We made the request to the president to declare Dr Ngema’s send off a special provincial official funeral primarily to recognise his contribution to our long and painful journey for freedom.
“We welcome the respect bestowed upon Dr Ngema by the president. This is indeed a befitting honour to Madlokovu, who worked tirelessly for many decades to put South Africa on the global pedestal through art. Armed only with his creativity and theatre, he confronted the brutal apartheid regime, in the process conscientising the world about the ruthless and dehumanising nature of apartheid,” she said.
Ngema family spokesman Nhlanhla Ngema said they welcomed the decision by the president to grant Ngema a provincial official funeral.
“After what Mbongeni did for Mzansi, we believed that he deserved his funeral to be granted a special provincial official funeral.
“His memorial service will be held at The Playhouse in Durban on Wednesday. There will also be a funeral service to be held at his hometown in Nhlwathi before his official funeral service to be held at Durban ICC in Durban,” he said.
