President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the special official funeral category two in honour of late cabinet minister Pravin Gordhan will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban on Thursday.
The proceedings will get underway at 10am.
Gordhan died in the hospital early on Friday morning after a short battle with cancer. He was 75.
Ramaphosa said the special official funeral category two will entail ceremonial elements performed by the South African Police Service.
Gordhan will be cremated in a private ceremony later in the day.
“Mr Gordhan’s family has requested that in lieu of floral tributes, mourners offer donations to charities of their choice, or the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation,” said Vincent Magwenya, the president’s spokesperson.
In a recent address, Ramaphosa said Gordhan was one of the most principled and courageous freedom fighters the country has produced.
He was speaking during the signing ceremony of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Friday.
Retired from active politics
“South Africans woke up to the sad news of the passing of former minister Pravin Gordhan,” Ramaphosa said.
“I had the occasion to go and spend some time with him last night [Thursday] in the hospital as I returned from Cape Town before he passed on.
“I was able to get a moment to speak to him even though he could no longer hear me. It was a sad moment for me to be able to watch him as he was passing on to his journey to another world.”
Gordhan’s last portfolio in the cabinet was as public enterprises minister, a position he held from 2018 to 2024. This after serving two terms as finance minister from 2009 to 2014 and again from 2015 to 2017.
He also served as cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister. From March 1999 to 2009, Gordhan, a qualified pharmacist, was the commissioner of the South African Revenue Service.
After the general elections in May, he decided to retire from active politics in order to spend more time with his wife, Vanitha Raju, and his daughters, Anisha and Priyesha.
