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President Motlanthe to address the official funeral of Cleopas Nsibande
31 December 2008
The President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Kgalema Motlanthe, is scheduled to deliver an oration at the official funeral service of Mr Cleopas Nsibande, a veteran of the liberation struggle, on Saturday, 3 January 2009.
The funeral service will held at Benoni City Hall starting at 08h00 in the morning and is expected to draw cabinet ministers, MECs, Members of Parliament and Legislature, councillors as well as high profile business, religious and civic leaders.
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile, Cosatu President Bheki Ntshalintshali and South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Jeremy Cronin will also deliver tributes to the late Baba Nsibande. African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma will be represented by ANC veteran Ntate Henry Makgothi who will speak on behalf of the organisation.
A member of the ANC for more than 60 years and a former confidant of the late ANC president Oliver Tambo, Nsibande died at Glenwood Hospital in Benoni on 26 December.
In the early days of his life he was a prominent trade unionist and founder member of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU). He was also very well known to Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the leader of Inkatha Freedom Party, with whom he served in the ANC Youth League of the 1940s.
Nsibande was one of the key campaigners who mobilised people for the adoption of the Freedom Charter in 1955. For this he was arrested and charged in the historic 1956 treason trial together with 155 leaders including former ANC presidents Chief Albert Luthuli, Nelson Mandela and Tambo.
Nsibande is survived by his wife, Sarah, his four children - Thembi, Justice, Thato and Sibongile - eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Members of the media are requested to collect accreditation at the Office of the Premier on 30 Simmmonds Street, Johannesburg on Friday, 2 January 2009 between 10h00 and 12h00.
For more details contact:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
For accreditation call:
Sipho Mokoena
Cell: 082 566 0515
Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
31 December 2008