Former South African ambassador and protocol chief Billy Modise will receive an official funeral, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said on Friday.
The former high commissioner to Canada will receive a category one state funeral with elements of military ceremonial honours.
“The late Ambassador Modise served our country selflessly and diligently and deserves this honour for his exceptional contribution to the achievement of a South Africa free of racial oppression and to the building of a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic country,” Ramaphosa said.
The president has ordered the national flag be flown half-mast until next Thursday in tribute to Modise, who died on Thursday at the age 87 after a long illness.
Upon his return from Canada, Modise served as chief of protocol in the Mbeki administration until his retirement in 2006.
He was credited with building strong support for the anti-apartheid movement abroad while studying in Sweden in the 1960s.
The Presidency said the date for Modise’s funeral will be set in consultation with his family.
Source: Timeslive