Following The Forbes families memorial and burial announcement for late SA rapper, AKA, reports say Panyaza Lesufi, a Gauteng Premier had approached the country’s president seeking an official provincial funeral for the multi-award-winning musician but unfortunately, the request was refused.
An approval would have better-financed events surrounding the funeral of AKA. An official from the government would have been mandated to attend the funeral and fans would have seen flags being flown at half-mast.
Although the request was refused, Lesufi said the provincial government would provide security support and ensure that the family feels our support and comfort. Adding that a person of this international stature had to get some form of honour. The Gauteng Premier also revealed that they would nonetheless provide burial space for AKA at the Heroes Acre Cemetery and they would drape his coffin with the South African flag.
It’s not the first time government has provided support in honouring the country’s fallen soldiers, In December last year, the KwaZulu-Natal government reportedly paid over R320,000 towards the funeral costs of late musician Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo’s, despite receiving some backlash from the public.
As announced by AKA’s family, The memorial service would be held today, February 17 at Sandton Convention Center, 3 pm while the late rapper will be laid to rest in a private Provincial funeral tomorrow, Saturday, February 18.