Cape Town - Ahead of the funeral of the last apartheid government president FW De Klerk, pressure is mourning in some quarters that he should not be accorded a State funeral.
De Klerk, 85, died at his Fresnaye home on Thursday morning following his struggle against mesothelioma cancer.
However, in a statement announcing his death the FW Foundation said the family would in due course make an announcement regarding funeral arrangements.
The presidency has said that the Foundation would in due course make announcements regarding funeral arrangements.
This did not stop his critics from weighing in on whether he should get a state funeral or not.
The presidency has published a manual that determines and defines state, official and provincial official funeral policy.
“The manual describes different categories of funerals commensurate with the status of the deceased figures, and identifies key role players, structures and processes,” reads the document.
The manual provides for: State funeral, official funeral, special official funeral; provincial official funeral, and special provincial official funeral.
State Funeral Category 1 is for the president of the Republic of South Africa, president-elect of the Republic of South Africa and former presidents of the Republic of South Africa.
State Funeral Category 2 is meant for the deputy president of the Republic of South Africa, acting president of the Republic of South Africa and former deputy presidents of the Republic of South Africa.
Official Funeral Category 1 is reserved for serving ministers, speaker of the National Assembly, chief justice of the Republic of South Africa, chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and premiers of provinces.
Official Funeral Category 2 is for a spouse of a serving president, spouse of a serving deputy president, deputy ministers, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, permanent deputy chairperson of the NCOP, deputy chief justice of the Republic of South Africa and the president of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Special Official Funeral Category 1 is for persons of extraordinary credentials specifically designated by the President of the Republic of South Africa.
Special Official Funeral Category 2 is reserved for distinguished persons specifically designated by the president of the Republic of South Africa.
Provincial Official Funeral Category 1 is reserved for the speaker of the Legislature, member of the executive committee (MEC) and judge president of a province.
Provincial Official Funeral Category 2 is for deputy speaker of the Legislature.
Special Provincial Official Funeral Category 1 are accorded to outstanding persons specifically designated by the president of South Africa on request by the premier while Special Provincial Official Funeral Category 2 is reserved for distinguished persons specifically designated by the president of South Africa on request by the premier of a province.
POLITICAL BUREAU