Malamulele – The mood is sombre and brittle as thousands of grieving mourners gathered at the Xikundu Evangelical Presbyterian Church to pay their last respects to the late Public Service and Administration Minister, Collins Chabane.
Members of the Mkhonto Wesizwe Military Veterans (MKMVA) and African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Gwede Mantashe arrived at the church with the coffin on Saturday morning.
Singing liberation struggle songs, the mourners queued to pay their last respect to their beloved Minister.
Minister Chabane’s son, Matimba, other family members and former Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi as well as other dignitaries are also at the church to say a final farewell to the late Minister.
Thousands of mourners dressed in ANC regalia and singing songs praising their late comrade are also arriving at the Salema Sport Grounds, where the funeral service of the late Minister will take place shortly after the cortege leaves the local church.
President Jacob Zuma is expected to deliver the eulogy before Minister Chabane is laid to rest at the local cemetery outside Saselamani just before 1pm.
Minister Chabane passed away on Sunday, 15 March, in a crash on the N1 in Limpopo. Two of his protectors, Sergeants Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane, also died in the collision.
*Click here to view our online tribute to Minister Chabane. – SAnews.gov.za
