Family, friends, colleagues, and fans of veteran playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema gathered at the International Convention Centre in Durban on Friday.Ngema, who died in hospital after a car crash involving a truck on the R61 in the Mbizana area in the Eastern Cape last month, was accorded a special provincial official funeral category 2.This category includes elements of police ceremonial honours and is reserved for “distinguished people” specifically designated by the president on request by the premier of a province.The funeral service was set to start at 10am with high-profile names in attendance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 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 on request by the premier of a province”.

“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,” said Dube-Ncube.

“Armed only with his creativity and theatre, he confronted the brutal apartheid regime, in the process conscientizing 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.