Ramaphosa to deliver eulogy at funeral of struggle veteran Gertrude Shope

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the eulogy at the special official funeral of the late former ANC Women’s League president Gertrude Shope.

Ramaphosa honoured “Ma Shope” with a Special Official Funeral Category 1 ceremony that will incorporate military honours.

Special official funeral

The funeral service takes place in the Great Hall at Wits University in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on Saturday, with Ramaphosa expected to deliver the eulogy between 8am and 9am.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the president has expressed his deep condolences to “Ma Shope’s” family and friends and her political home, the ANC.

“President Ramaphosa has directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast at flag stations around the country to the evening of the funeral.

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Shope

Ma Shope passed away last Thursday at the age of 99.

Shope was an Umkhonto weSizwe leader and the first president of the ANC Women’s League following its relaunch in 1991. She also served on the ANC national executive, among many other roles she held in politics.

Shope fought tirelessly against apartheid and for women’s emancipation.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said Shope was a “lifelong revolutionary”.

“Ma Shope, born on 15 August 1925, was a leader of profound discipline, courage and humility. From her early activism to the dawn of democracy, she served the struggle with unmatched commitment – in the underground, in exile, and in the democratic Parliament.

“As former president of the ANC Women’s League, head of the ANC women’s section in exile and a member of the ANC NEC, she played a pivotal role in shaping the political direction of our movement and the emancipation of women in South Africa and beyond,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.

Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe

Last week, Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at the funeral of ANC Women’s League deputy president Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe at a packed Durban ICC.

Ramaphosa said Mnganga-Gcabashe was a courageous and graceful leader who served the ANC and South African women with unwavering dedication and dignity.

“We should continue building so that those who are said to be sleeping inside the ANC, who are called sleepers, should wake up from their stupor and realise that they are having a bad dream and wake up to the warm embrace of the African National Congress once again”.

Mnganga-Gcabashe died earlier this month at the age of 64.

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