Special funeral for stalwart

KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Willies Mchunu has announced that the provincial government has planned a series of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the death of former ANC president and first African recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Albert Luthuli.

Mchunu was speaking during the special provincial funeral for anti-apartheid activist and Rivonia trialist Kay Moonsamy at the Clare Estate Crematorium in Durban yesterday.

The 91-year-old former ANC MP Moonsamy was honoured with a special funeral, which was attended by political leaders, including Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Mac Maharaj, James Nxumalo and the SACP’S Jeremy Cronin.

“It is important to note that Comrade Kay died a few weeks before the month of July, which marks the 50th anniversary of the mysterious death of Inkosi Albert Luthuli, who was found dead on a train track,” Mchunu said.

“This year there are other significant events in the history of the struggle for freedom and democracy in South Africa,” the premier said.

Described as “an uncompromising non-racialist” and a fair leader, a variety of speakers heaped praise on Moonsamy, who died on Wednesday after a long illness.

Mchunu expressed his admiration of Moonsamy’s fearlessness and unapologetic honesty, even when times were tough.

“Through his unique ability to respond appropriately in the face of changing dynamics during the evolution of our democracy, Kay managed to survive for much longer than many who wished him gone from our politics,” said Mchunu.

Moonsamy’s granddaughter, Cassandra Naidoo, described him as an example of good discipline who, even at his old age, was the first to get up and get dressed every morning and the last to go to bed.

“Granddad was very affectionate and always referred to his daughters and granddaughters as ‘darlings’ and very rarely with our first names,” she said.