President Ramaphosa declares Special Official Funeral Category 2 in honour of the late Ambassador Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu

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, can be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 on Saturday, 6 September 2025.

Ambassador Mahlangu handed away on the age of 72 on 24 August 2025, on his strategy to a South African hospital after a brief sickness.

Ambassador Mahlangu served because 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 provides his deep condolences to the Mahlangu household in addition to the various colleagues, comrades and associates with whom Ambassador Mahlangu engaged throughout his distinguished profession.

Ambassador Mahlangu was instrumental within the drafting of South Africa’s democratic Constitution and served within the first Parliament.

President Ramaphosa has declared that Ambassador Mahlangu can be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2 which is able to entail ceremonial honours carried out by the South African Police Service.

The funeral will happen at Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

The President has additionally directed that the National Flag be half-masted in any respect flag stations from tomorrow morning, Saturday, 30 August 2025, till the night of the funeral on Saturday, 6 September 2025.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

www.thepresidency.gov.za