Memorial service to be held for journalist and sports analyst David Kekana

The memorial for former Sunday Times journalist and SABC sports analyst David Kekana will be held in Randburg on Wednesday‚ and is open to the public.

The memorial and funeral will be at Rhema Bible Church North‚ Randburg‚ starting at 9am for 9.30am.

Kekana was 47 years old‚ turning 48 in November.

He died following a long-term battle with chronic diabetes on Sunday at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg.

His former SABC work colleague‚ sports radio host Andile Ncube‚ confirmed that Kekana will be cremated.

"The family are not sending out the details of the cremation because they are having a very private ceremony.

"That's for very close family‚" Ncube‚ who has been acting as a spokesperson for the family‚ said.

"The memorial and funeral together are tomorrow [Wednesday] at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg.

"Arrival is at 9am for 9.30am‚ and it will end at about 1pm.

"And that's open for everybody who wants to attend."

A statement on behalf of the family read: "Mr Kekana is survived by his mother‚ sister‚ father and two daughters.

"The Kekana family wishes to thank the staff and doctors at the Milpark hospital for their dedicated medical support."

Kekana’s family also expressed they were "very grateful to members of the (broader) Kekana family‚ his friends‚ religious leaders‚ media and sporting fraternity‚ and the ANC Johannesburg‚ Ward 98 Bheki Mkhize Branch‚ where he was the deputy chairperson‚ for their support during his infirmity".

The statement added: "David Kekana‚ started his journalistic career as a Sunday Times reporter in 1999.

"He also worked at Prime Media and M-Net as a sports correspondent. He rose to fame as a sports analyst for public broadcaster SABC in 2001."

The Rhema Bible Church is on the corner of Rabie and Hans Schoeman Streets‚ Randpark Ridge‚ Randburg.