By Johnathan Paoli
The late African National Congress deputy president Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe will be buried on Saturday.
African National Congress spokeswoman Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said on Tuesday that the funeral for Mnganga-Gcabashe, who was also a Member of Parliament, would be held at the Durban International Convention Centre.
Memorial events were scheduled throughout the week to honour her life of public service and principled activism.
The funeral arrangements are being coordinated in close consultation with the Mnganga-Gcabashe’s family and the ANC Women’s League.
A dedicated funeral committee, led by Mike Mabuyakhulu, has been established to oversee all logistics and stakeholder coordination.
Born in KwaMashu on 27 October 1960, Mnganga-Gcabashe’s political consciousness was shaped during the apartheid-era violence of the 1980s.
She became active in community-based peace committees aligned to the United Democratic Front and the Natal Organisation of Women, where she quickly distinguished herself as a fearless and grounded organiser.
“She did not seek position or power. She was called by her people to serve them, and she never stopped,” Bhengu-Motsiri added.
Mnganga-Gcabashe rose through the ANC ranks from volunteer organiser to senior leadership. Her dedication saw her serve as chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises and when she died, she was chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism.
In 2023, she was elected Deputy President of the ANC Women’s League.
Mnganga-Gcabashe, who passed away on Saturday, is survived by her daughter Siphelele, her mother, and six siblings.
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