President Cyril Ramaphosa says he’s saddened by the fact that the late Environmental Affairs minister, Edna Molewa, fell ill following a trip to China where she was part of the presidential delegation.
He was delivering the eulogy at Molewa’s official funeral at the Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria on Saturday.
The President says he’s heart broken.
“My pain and loss is also acute in that Minister Molewa fell ill following a trip to China, where I had asked her to join us as part of the South Africa delegation to FOCAC when we were meeting with a whole number of other leaders from various countries on our continent. We know only too well that her commitment to the struggle of our people for freedom and dignity came at a great personal cost to her children that she cherished so much.”
Deputy President David Mabuza and former Presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma also attended the funeral.
Molewa died in a Pretoria hospital two weeks ago at the age of 61.
Meanwhile, ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president Bathabile Dlamini says Molewa has left an indelible mark.
Bathabile says Molewa was a unifier in the ANC: “As an honour to sis Edna who did not melt like ice when it was difficult, who played a very critical role in uniting comrades from KZN as women’s league we’re going to put her name in the book we’re writing of 100 phenomenal women in South Africa. Amandla, imbokodo.”
Family and friends have described her a committed servant of the people.
Watch the full stream live :
