MEMORIAL SERVICE AND FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS DETAILS - FORMER NUMSA PRESIDENT CDE MTHUTHUZELI TOM
Patrick Craven
MEMORIAL SERVICE AND FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS OF FORMER NUMSA PRESIDENT CDE MTHUTHUZELI TOM
02 September 2010
ARRANGEMENTS for the mass funeral for Comrade Mthuthuzeli Tom are falling into place. The funeral will take place at the Mdantsane NU1 Rugby Ground in Mdantsane, and move to the Cambridge Cemetery in East London, where Tom will finally be laid to rest at around 2pm.
Tom died at the age of 51 on Friday, 27 August, in his hospital bed, St Dominic Hospital, East London, surrounded by his family. His death has been greeted with shock by people from around the country and the world, and particularly from his friends and comrades in NUMSA.
Memorial services for Tom will be held around the country over the next 2 days, with comrades and well wishers expressing their great admiration for him, and praising his legacy of unassuming leadership and unquestioning integrity.
A National Memorial Service will be held today Thursday afternoon, 02 September 2010, from 17h00pm to 21h00pm, at City Hall in East London, Buffalo City Municipality. The NUMSA General Secretary Cde IRVIN JIM will deliver the tribute on behalf of NUMSA National Office Bearers (NOB’s), Cde Tom's body will lie in state from 17h30pm to 19h00pm. There'll be a range of speakers at the memorial service, including former NUMSA leaders, ANC NEC Member Cde FIKILE XHASA, provincial leaders of the South African Communist Party, Cosatu and trade unionists.
On Saturday, 04 September 2010, a family valedictory service will be held at Tom’s house in Zone 9, Mdantsane between 7am and 8am.
The main public funeral service will be held from 9am at the N1 Rugby Ground in Mdantsane, starting with the national anthem and a revolutionary salute by NUMSA. COSATU General Secretary Cde ZWELINZIMA VAVI will deliver a tribute at 10.45am, and NUMSA President Cde CEDRIC GINA will give his tribute at 11.05am, followed by a sermon by a pastor from the Roman Catholic Church. At 11.35am there'll be another salute by NUMSA. Other speakers will include African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP) and Tom's family.
The former trade unionist and Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, and former national leadership of NUMSA amongst others, will attend this service. Up to 10 000 people are expected at the Rugby ground, and the metro police, the SAPS will be on duty to ensure the smooth running of the service.
Family members and close associates will then leave the Rugby ground at around 12.40pm and proceed to the Cambridge Cemetery in East London. Tom will be laid to rest alongside other family members in the Cemetery.
Contact:
Castro Ngobese
National Spokesperson – 073 299 1595