President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the funeral of anti-apartheid struggle figure, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela will take place on 14 April 2018.
The memorial service for Madikizela-Mandela will take place on 11 April 2018 at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Speaking to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) outside the home of Madikizela-Mandela Ramaphosa said, “We have declared that Winnie Mandela will have a national official funeral which will be on 14 April.
“But then again there will be many other memorial functions right across the country in nearly every province of our nation,” he added.
The struggle stalwart died at the age of 81 on 2 April 2018 following a prolonged illness which had seen her in and out of hospital since at the beginning of the year.
In a statement released by the Mandela family following her passing, the family said it is “deeply grateful for the gift of her life and even as our hearts at her passing, we urge all those who loved her to celebrate the most remarkable woman.”
In an address to the nation on the day of her death, Ramaphosa described Madikizela-Mandela as the “voice of the voiceless.”
“She remained throughout her life of a tireless advocate for the disposed and the marginalised. She was a voice for the voiceless,” Ramaphosa said.
The president also lauded her efforts in ending apartheid in South Africa.
“For many years, she bore the brunt of the senseless brutality of the apartheid state with the stoicism and fortitude. Despite the hardships she faced, she never doubted that the struggle for freedom and democracy would succeed,” he said.
