Pretoria - Former Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Sicelo Shiceka, will be laid to rest in Midrand, Johannesburg, next Saturday, his family announced on Thursday.
Shiceka passed away at Umtata General Hospital in the Eastern Cape, on Monday, following a long illness that saw him take extended leave from his work as a minister.
In a statement, family representative, Justice Zotwa said the family met on Thursday morning to discuss funeral arrangements and it was decided that the funeral will take place on 12 May. Further details will be communicated later.
Zotwa said as a family they had been humbled by the overwhelming support and condolences they had received from the public and political organisations and this has become their source of strength and courage.
President Jacob Zuma extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the former minister and described Shiceka as a remarkable hard worker who had taken up the job of establishing the new Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs with gusto and turning it into a fully functional department.
Meanwhile, North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs Paul Sebegoe said that it was unfortunate to lose a man of Shiceka's calibre, who has made such visible and long lasting contribution to make South Africa a better country.
"He has enormously contributed in our quest towards creating developmental and accountable local governance and institutions of traditional leadership. During his tenure as minister he has maintained an administrative and political oversight support to municipalities and has tirelessly worked towards improving the performance of municipalities in the country," Sebegoe said.
