There will be no state funeral for the late former president FW de Klerk, with his family announcing plans to holding a private send-off for him next week, APA learnt on Monday.
The FW de Klerk Foundation said in a statement on Sunday that South Africans would not be able to witness the funeral of the former leader because he would be cremated in a private ceremony.
“The FW de Klerk Foundation wishes to announce that FW de Klerk’s cremation and funeral will take place on Sunday, November 21. It will be a private ceremony for family members and will not be open to media,” the foundation said.
According to the government’s funeral manual, de Klerk was entitled to a State Funeral Category 1 which was reserved for the president, president-elect and former presidents of the country.
With the ceremony closed to the public, it was not immediately clear whether incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa would be among the dignitaries who would be welcomed by the de Klerk family for the funeral.
De Klerk died last Thursday, aged 85, after a long illness with lung cancer, leaving behind wife Elita, his children Jan and Susan, and several grandchildren.
He disclosed on his 85th birthday in March this year that he was suffering from lung cancer.
NM/jn/APA