President declares Special Official Funeral for the late struggle hero Andrew Mekete Mlangeni

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a Special Official Funeral Category 1 as a mark of respect for the last remaining Rivonia Trialist and Isithwalandwe/Seaparankwe Andrew Mokete Mlangeni.

Bab’ Mlangeni passed away on Wednesday, 22 July 2020, at the age of 95, following an abdominal complaint.

The President participated in Bab’ Mlangeni’s birthday celebration last month in the company of, among other notable guests, President Thabo Mbeki, President Kgalema Motlanthe and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

Bab’ Mlangeni was awarded Isithwalandwe/Seaparankwe – the highest honour by the African National Congress for those who have made an outstanding contribution to the liberation struggle in 1992 – and received the Presidential Order for Meritorious Service: Class 1: Gold from President Nelson Mandela in 1999.

In terms of the Presidential declaration, the National Flag will fly at half-mast from the morning of Friday, 24 July 2020 until the evening of Wednesday, 29 July 2020, the day on which Bab’ Mlangeni will be laid to rest.

The details of the Special Official Funeral will be communicated in due course.

President Ramaphosa has once again offered his sincere condolences to the Mlangeni Family as well as the friends, comrades and associates of the Struggle hero countrywide and internationally.


Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria