WATCH LIVE: Ramaphosa speaks at funeral of ANC veteran Gertrude Shope
Mourners are gathering at the Great Hall at Wits University in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on Saturday to pay tribute to late former ANC Women's League president Gertrude Shope.
Shope passed away in her home in Gauteng last Thursday at the age of 99.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that she would be honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 1 ceremony.
Special provincial funerals are divided into two categories and can be provided to an outstanding or distinguished person on request to the president by the premier of the province.
The State, Official and Provincial Official Funeral Policy manual of 2016 states at category 1 ceremonies the national flag shall fly at half-mast at every flag station in the province — including the burial site or cremation facility — a day before the burial or cremation until the evening of the day of the burial or cremation.
For category two, the national flag flies at half-mast at every flag station in the province — including the burial site or cremation facility — on the day of the burial or cremation until that evening.
ALSO READ: ANC Women's League veteran Gertrude Shope dies at 99
A life of service
Shope lived in exile for nearly 25 years with her husband Mark and her children in Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia, and in the then Czechoslovakia.
'She organised women and communities in the country as well as international organisations to oppose apartheid and alleviate the plight of oppressed communities while the struggle was underway.
'She also had the distinction of being listed as a co-conspirator in the Rivonia Trial, alongside Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo, Ben Turok, Duma Nokwe, Joe Modise, Jack Hodgson and others,' said government in tribute.
Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the eulogy between 8am and 9am.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Selling repossessed homes for less: A human rights violation that demands reform
Experts say that the sale of repossessed houses at significantly reduced prices is not only unfair but also a violation of human rights. Image: IOL The sale of repossessed houses at knockdown prices is unfair, unconstitutional, and a human rights and dignity issue, as it leaves financially distressed individuals with huge debts, when they have already lost their homes, experts say. Professor William Gumede, a governance expert from Wits University, said ordinary people are doubly punished; first, they lose their houses to the banks, and somebody else picks it up for very little, and then the distressed individuals still have to pay the original amount. 'This is unfair, no matter how you look at it. It harms the country's economy, adds a burden to the social security services, because now there are financially distressed people who are paying their home loan debts, but are homeless together with their family members, and dependent on the government's social grants to survive, because they can't afford basic needs. We have to find a system that doesn't do that. 'Housing is important. It is the heart of a market economy; South Africa is a market economy. Housing is an asset, a property, and we must, at all times, protect people's rights to hold on to their housing, even if they are distressed, if we want to grow and stabilise the economy,' Gumede said. He added that there is a need to strengthen regulations to make it impossible for the banks to sell repossessed houses for far below the market price to the detriment of distressed individuals. Currently, many banks are under criticism from ordinary people and populist politicians, he said. 'It will be good for banks to self-regulate by declaring together that a house will always be sold at the commercial price. If it's forced to auction, a minimum price must be set to such an extent that the debt will be cleared. If there are some funds left, they must be returned to the distressed owner. 'If the banks change the system themselves, it will mean increased reputation, increased trust among ordinary citizens and the black community, because the majority of people who lose their houses are black, which creates the impression that banks are racist towards black people.,' Gumede said. He added that if the banks don't self-regulate, the government will have to step in and make some rules and regulations. People who have paid at least 50% of the bond amount should not lose their houses, Gumede said. Gumede said even Rule 46A of the Uniform Rules of Court in South Africa, which regulates the process of executing judgments against a debtor's primary residence, is flawed because financially distressed ordinary citizens are not in the right position to deal with court issues, because financial distress comes with a lot of psychological or mental health issues. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Four major banks, FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, and Nedbank, said that the repossession of houses is treated as an 'absolute' last resort. that is only pursued after all alternative solutions have been exhausted. They also stated that they believe in responsible lending in line with the necessary credit laws and the bank's internal processes, including doing everything possible to prevent a client from losing their home. The banks encouraged customers experiencing difficulties in meeting their financial obligations to contact the bank as soon as possible to explore solutions. The banks highlighted that the reserve price at a sale in execution is not set by the banks, but it is determined through an independent legal process overseen by a presiding judge. Nondumiso Ncapai, managing executive of Absa Home Loans, said Absa makes every reasonable effort to assist its distressed customers in retaining their homes and offers solutions, from debt restructuring to a private sale. 'In the unfortunate event that a sale in execution is unavoidable, the sale process is regulated by legislation and the Rules of Court, all of which is designed to ensure that a fair reserve price is set by requiring that a Court oversee and adjudicate the process from beginning to end. Whenever there is a surplus from such a sale (or a property that Absa has bought in), this is always refunded to the customer,' Ncapai said. Nedbank said it is committed to finding amicable solutions to avoid a sale in execution of a property. 'Nedbank understands the impact of foreclosure and sales in execution on customers and their families, and we regard sale in execution as a last resort. We have several options available to assist customers who are experiencing financial difficulties. These options include a rehabilitation strategy that offers clients the option of a home loan debt relief that assists them to bring their debt up to date, or a Nedbank-assisted sale, which helps clients to sell their distressed property. Our foreclosure process adheres to the National Credit Act, and our clients are kept abreast of the court proceedings throughout,' Nedbank said. Ron Derby, Standard Bank's public relations lead, said their priority is to keep customers in their homes, and they have a variety of debt solutions to assist clients experiencing financial distress. 'Clients have had the use and enjoyment of the monies lent to them by the bank and therefore remain liable to repay it. The bank is very amenable to assisting with payment arrangements in this regard. It must be noted that Standard Bank complies with the prevailing laws of the country and trusts in the fairness of the South African justice system,' Derby said. Mfundo Mabaso, Product Head of FNB Home and Structured Lending, stated that the bank provides a recommendation to the courts by proposing a reserve price to ensure that a home is not sold below a reasonable price. 'We understand the sensitivities and emotive nature of selling a property when one is under financial distress. Properties sold via a Sale in Execution (SIE) process, which is overseen by the courts, may, unfortunately, not achieve full market value. This is due to factors outside the bank's control, such as the property valuation, occupation status, such as illegal occupants, outstanding municipal rates and taxes, and levies if applicable,' Mabaso said. Mabaso said, 'Banks, including FNB, do not have the power to manipulate this process.' Harold Ngalawa, Professor of Economics, and chairperson of Macroeconomics Research Unit in the School of Commerce at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said that in an open auction, the market price should settle the debt, and the person whose home has been auctioned should be able to move forward debt-free. 'If this is done in an open auction, the property should be sold at a price that at least covers the balance owed, unless the bank did not do due diligence when giving out the loan, or the property has deteriorated significantly, or property prices have not kept pace with interest rate adjustments. If a distressed individual (mortgage defaulter) whose home has been auctioned by the bank still has to pay some outstanding debt for a home they no longer own, then the process is flawed,' Ngalawa said. Nikita Stander, deputy head and senior attorney at the Stellenbosch University Law Clinic, said Rule 46A was introduced to address serious injustices in the sale of primary residences, where homes were once sold for as little as R10. She said the rule now ensures that only a judge, never a registrar, may declare a home executable, and it imposes strict procedural requirements on creditors. And debtors must be served personally and are given the opportunity to present their financial position. 'To better uphold the dignity of financially distressed individuals and families, South Africa's legal framework for repossessions should ideally involve a strengthened judicial discretion, ensuring proportionality, and mandatory reserve prices. 'Section 26 of the Constitution protects against arbitrary eviction, and when homes are sold significantly below market value, often through inaccessible or poorly publicised auctions, it places families at risk of homelessness and undermines the core protections afforded by the Constitution,' Stander said. Major banks are facing a R60 billion class action lawsuit over the sale of repossessed houses.
The Citizen
21-07-2025
- The Citizen
Students vow to continue Madiba's fight for free education
On Mandela Day, Friday, July 18, over 180 students gathered in the Tshwane metro, not just to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, but to confront the reality that many of his dreams for South Africa remain unfulfilled. Hosted by the Office of the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, in partnership with SRCs and youth leadership forums, the student colloquium offered a blend of history, dialogue, and activism. Students were taken on tours of the Old Ou Raadsaal Building and the Palace of Justice, where the group of students could gain glimpses into pivotal moments in South African history. The students saw the cell where the nine ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe leaders were held during the Rivonia Trial , the courtroom where they were sentenced in and even the original Freedom Charter written on the cell walls. After the tours, the programme included keynote addresses from city officials and student leaders, as well as interactive panel discussions, and key resolutions aimed at transforming the student experience in Tshwane. While many students felt Mandela Day should still be recognised, the South Africa he had envisioned however is a far cry from the reality that Tshwane students face today. 'Mandela is a very prominent figure to us because he fought for free education in this country. So, we as students must carry on that fight. We're going to fight for free education, because to this day we have not seen that,' said Tandazo Seoko, TUT Pretoria Campus's SRC President. 'All of us are still struggling with unemployment, and a lot of us are still struggling with student accommodation and funding. We must take our spears and fight these struggles. Mandela has fought, but it's still up to us as the youth to carry on. 'As student activists, we are still struggling with funding. This is not even a TUT or Tshwane-specific thing; it's all over. A majority of students are defunded and have no backing to pay for tuition fees. Till today, our students are struggling to find spaces in higher education, our government must implement plans to bring higher education to more students,' Seoko said. Beshley Disoloane from TUT's Soshanguve campus said the metro's water woes are making life difficult for students and shared similar sentiments regarding the need for more funding. 'Water interruption affects the campus's daily activities. Students now have to be at home because on campus, there's no access to clean running water. We're provided with mobile toilets, but they aren't enough to accommodate the students. Additionally, there are only two JoJo tanks on campus, which are meant to accommodate over 1 000 students, and the maintenance is nonexistent, too. Safety is also another big issue, students get robbed daily. 'We want the City of Tshwane, especially, to consider that during these dialogues and commemoration. You can't say that students get robbed and killed because we go to parties, when they know which are the hotspots where drug dealers and criminals operate in our area,' Disoloane said. Disoloane said commemorating Mandela Day carries little meaning when students and young people are still subjected to economic inequality. He believes that until students are safe and can study for free, Madiba's legacy won't be fulfilled. 'Young people come to this province, come to this city, to study. The government must introduce measures to address the crime affecting students. We don't trust our government; there's no point. All political parties speak the same language, promising everything, but on the ground, nothing changes,' Disoloane said. Teryl Mazwai said it's still important to celebrate Mandela Day to know where we come from and never take the freedom we enjoy for granted. 'Decades have gone by, and people have forgotten how we got to the place we're in now. So I think it's really important to learn about the struggles that freedom fighters went through to enjoy what we have now,' Mazwai said. Mazwai said she felt a deeper connection to the country's history after the tour. 'One spot that really took me back was the holding cells. It was really dark, it's a dark place, you could see that people who were kept in there were not okay. They were thinking about their families and wanted to be free. I think it's a good thing that they preserved the walls because it's good to see all the writings. The handprints also took me back because they show, at least for me, that they were going through a lot of mental torment,' Mazwai said. She said tuition fees are a great hindrance in the pursuit of education for many students, especially as most come from disadvantaged backgrounds. She said getting accepted alone is a feat, but maintaining fees and other expenses leave students destitute, and more governmental interventions are needed. To honour Mandela Day, she said more initiatives such as the colloquium should be held to ensure the youth never forget the country's history. 'I think more things like today are needed, more tours and educate us more on how we got to where we are now, let us not forget where we come from,' Mazawi said. After holding panel discussions and addresses at Tshwane House, the day ended with a pledge wall signing. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
17-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
Concern over US 'dumping' dangerous criminals in Eswatini
Immigration expert Prof Loren Landau of Wits University agreed with Phage that South Africa should be concerned. 'On moral and practical grounds, South Africa should be unsettled by this move. It is a further effort to make Africa a source of raw materials, cheap labour and 'waste processing' for the US,' he said. 'While it may have little effect on South Africa in the short term, it also further allies Eswatini with the increasingly authoritarian US president. This will have implications for democracy, human rights, and the region's solidarity.' Sowetan approached the department of international relations & co-operation to enquire if South Africa is concerned about the possibility of some of these individuals entering the country. 'Our state authorities such as the Border Management Authority have embarked on significant reforms to safeguard our borders and citizens,' said spokesperson Chrispin Phiri. On Thursday the Swaziland Solidarity Network released a statement condemning the US decision to 'dump' the five men in their country. 'According to the US department of homeland security, these are convicted murderers, rapists and gang members and they must be removed so that 'they can never hurt another American victim'. By implication, this means they must now hurt Swazis,' said spokesperson Mfanafuthi Tsela. 'This is a deliberate act of collusion by two corrupt governments to dump America's most violent criminals in one of the world's poorest nations.'
