Provincial official funeral for Chippa

Soccer legend Philemon Chippa Masinga will be given a provincial official funeral in Klerksdorp in North West on Thursday next week.

The national sports ministry confirmed that the request for a provincial official funeral had been sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa and was expected to be approved.

“Yes, the request has been received and we are processing that with the office of the premier in North West‚” sports ministry spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said.

“The family has also indicated that a memorial service will be held in Johannesburg on Friday and another one will be held in North West on Tuesday.

“The details of the venues will possibly be communicated tomorrow [Wednesday].”

Mhaga also clarified earlier speculation that Masinga’s funeral would be held on January 27‚ saying the family had requested that it rather be held on Thursday January 24.

South African Masters & Legends Football Association president Buddha Mathathe said the funeral would be held at the Klerksdorp Stadium in accordance with Masinga’s last wish.

“We had a meeting at Safa House on Monday with Safa president Danny Jordaan and officials from the sport ministry‚” he said.

“Masinga’s family‚ his fiancee [Ntomi Nombewu] and eldest son‚ and other family members were there and we agreed that we will give Chippa a provincial government funeral in North West.”

Mathathe said they were still waiting for the government to confirm the official provincial funeral as well as the venues for the two memorials.

“We got the assurance from the government representatives that they would expedite our request for Chippa to be afforded a provincial official funeral‚” he said.

The former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United striker‚ who was the vice-president of the legends football association, died in a private Johannesburg hospital on Sunday after battling with cancer.