Ramaphosa to deliver eulogy at Maponya’s funeral

As the country prepares to lay Richard Maponya to rest, paying tribute to the respected Soweto community builder and entrepreneur, President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver a eulogy at his funeral service on Tuesday.

The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) at Nelson Mandela Bay held a memorial service at Nangoza Jebe Community Hall in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth today (Monday). Maponya, who is a founder member of Nafcoc, passed away on January 6 a few days after celebrating his 99^th birthday.

Nafcoc’s Nelson Mandela Bay regional secretary, Qiqa Mpetsheni, praised Maponya for having championed the interests of black business through Nafcoc during difficult apartheid times and winning.

Mpetsheni said Tony Duba, deputy chair of chairs in the Eastern Cape Legislature, was expected to deliver the keynote address at the memorial service.

Maponya’s funeral service is to be held at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus on Tuesday morning. Ramaphosa declared the funeral a Special Official Funeral, category 2 – which meant that all state flags had to be flown at half-mast until the evening of the burial.

The businessman, who owned a string of businesses in Soweto, including the famous Maponya Mall in Pimville, would be laid to rest at West Park Cemetery in Johannesburg.

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