Masinga to get official funeral
Family changes burial to Thursday
Soccer legend Philemon “Chippa” Masinga will be given a provincial official funeral when he is laid to rest in Klerksdorp in the North West on Thursday next week. The national sport ministry confirmed to Sowetan sister publication, TimesLIVE, yesterday that the request for a provincial official funeral has been sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa and it is expected to be given the green light. “Yes, the request has been received [by Ramaphosa] and we are actually processing that with the office of the premier in North West‚” said sport ministry spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga.
“In no time we will be able to bring South Africans into our confidence that the request has been approved by the president. The family has also indicated that a memorial service will be held in Johannesburg on Friday. Another one will be held in North West next Tuesday.”
Mhaga also clarified speculation that suggested the funeral would be next Sunday, saying the family requested it rather be held on Thursday. “The family‚ when they reconsidered‚ arrived at the determination that it must be held on Thursday.
“Initially, it was planned for the 27th but the family changed it again last night [Monday] to Thursday,” Mhaga said. The president of the South African Masters & Legends Football Association, Buddha Mathathe‚ said the funeral will be held at the Klerksdorp Stadium as per the football legend’s last wish.
“We had a meeting at Safa House [SA Football Association] on Monday with the president of Safa Danny Jordaan and government officials from the sport ministry‚” said Mathathe. “Masinga’s family‚ his fiancée and eldest son‚ and other family members were there and we agreed that we will give Chippa a provincial government funeral in North West.” Mathathe said they were still waiting for the [national] government to confirm the official provincial funeral as well as the venues for the two memorial services.
“We got the assurance from government representatives that they would expedite our request for Chippa to be afforded a provincial official funeral‚” added Mathathe. The former Bafana Bafana star, who was the vice-president of the football legends association‚ died at a private hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Sunday after battling cancer towards the end of last year.
Masinga, who scored 18 goals for Bafana‚ leaves behind three children and his fiancée‚ Ntombi Nombewu‚ the woman he was engaged to after divorcing his first wife.