President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the late Ambassador Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, former Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces and a long-serving diplomat, will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 on Saturday, 6 September 2025.
Ambassador Mahlangu passed away at the age of 72 on 24 August 2025, on his way to a South African hospital after a short illness.
Ambassador Mahlangu served as the High Commissioner of South Africa to the Republic of Kenya; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Somalia, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON).
President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the Mahlangu Family as well as the many colleagues, comrades and associates with whom Ambassador Mahlangu engaged during his distinguished career.
Ambassador Mahlangu was instrumental in the drafting of South Africa’s democratic Constitution and served in the first Parliament.
President Ramaphosa has declared that Ambassador Mahlangu will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 which will entail ceremonial honours performed by the South African Police Service.
The funeral will take place at Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
The President has also directed that the National Flag be half-masted at all flag stations from tomorrow morning, Saturday, 30 August 2025, until the evening of the funeral on Saturday, 6 September 2025.
