WATCH: Andrew Mlangeni’s body to lie in state at his home on Tuesday

The body of struggle stalwart Andrew Mlangeni will be collected by his family and high-ranking ANC officials on Tuesday afternoon.

Mlangeni died at the age of 95 last week after he was admitted to 1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria, following an abdominal complaint.

In a statement, the ANC said its treasurer-general, Paul Mashatile, would officiate the draping of the coffin in ANC colours together with Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) representatives in honour of Mlangeni as one of the founding members of Umkhonto we Sizwe.

A procession will leave the funeral parlour shortly after 2pm on Tuesday and is expected to arrive at the family home in Dube, Soweto at 3pm, party spokesperson Pule Mabe said in a statement.

“The body of Ntate Mlangeni will lie in state at the house overnight. There will be family viewing at home, followed by a brief prayer service.”

At 06.30am on Wednesday there will be a brief service before the procession leaves the house.

Mabe said the service would include the handing over of the ANC flag, by Mashatile, to the Mlangeni family, which was “consistent with the tradition of the movement as a gesture of gratitude and in honour of Ntate Mlangeni’s unbroken years of service to the ANC”.

President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a special official funeral category 1 for Mlangeni on Friday.

This means that the national flag will fly at half-mast until Mlangeni is buried.

Government spokesperson Phumla Williams said the funeral service would be held at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus from 9am. It will be followed by a burial at Roodeport Cemetery.

According to South African History Online, on his return in 1963, Mlangeni was arrested after state witnesses told the court that he was one of the people responsible for recruiting and training an armed force.

He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island along with former president Nelson Mandela, Denis Goldberg, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada and several other struggle icons.

After his release from prison, Mlangeni served as a member of parliament for the ANC from 1994 to 1999. He served in the National Assembly from 2009 until 2014, when he retired.

Mlangeni was awarded Isithwalandwe/Seaparankwe – the highest honour by the ANC for those who made an outstanding contribution to the liberation struggle – in 1992 and he received the Presidential Order for Meritorious Service, Class 1: Gold from Mandela in 1999.

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