THE KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has announced that Mbongeni Ngema has been granted a special provincial official funeral category 2.
The legendary playwright and director, 68, was killed in a head-on car accident last Wednesday night, while returning from a funeral in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. Shortly after Ngema’s passing, the singer’s family issued an official statement to confirm the sad news.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved brother, father, husband and a patriot,.. Ngema,” the statement read.
The Sarafina! writer was an outspoken advocate against apartheid and used his stage plays as a vehicle to reflect the resilience of black South Africans under the regime. In honour of Ngema’s legacy, KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has expressed her gratitude to President Cyril Ramaphosa for granting the internationally acclaimed playwright, composer, director and theatre producer the special funeral.
A special provincial official funeral category 2 includes elements of police ceremonial honours, and is “reserved for distinguished persons specifically designated by the president of South Africa (SA) on request by the premier of a province”.
“We welcome the respect bestowed upon … Ngema by the president. This is indeed a befitting honour to Madlokovu, who worked tirelessly for many decades to put SA on the global pedestal through art,” said Dube-Ncube. “Armed only with his creativity and theatre, he confronted the brutal apartheid regime, in the process conscientising the world about the ruthless and dehumanizing nature of apartheid.
“Madlokovu used his vast networks abroad to focus the attention of the world to the suffering of our people in this country under apartheid. “He pencilled an indelible mark on our journey towards freedom” she concluded. — IOL