By: Natasha Archary
President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the funeral of former Angolan President, José Eduardo Dos Santos on Sunday, 28 August.
Dos Santos served as the second President of the Republic of Angola from 1979-2017, and died at the age of 79.
The Angolan President died in Barcelona, Spain on 08 July, where he was being treated following a long illness. His body was repatriated to Angola after much debate over the cause of his death.
His daughter, Tchize requested a full autopsy of Dos Santos’ death citing “suspicious circumstances” surrounding his death.
She did request that her father be laid to rest in Barcelona, but a Spanish judge ruled there was no foul play in the former statesman’s death and ordered that his remains be released to his widow, Ana Paula.
As a result, President Dos Santos’ funeral took place in Angola, on the day he would have have turned 80-years old.
President Ramaphosa was accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes.
Ramaphosa said President Dos Santos and Angola played an important role in South Africa overcoming apartheid and he was great leader and liberation struggle hero.
“President Dos Santos and Angola played an important role against apartheid and freedom and that’s why we’re here, to pay our respect and to join the people of Angola in remembering him. He was a great leader and liberation struggle hero, who ensured that people in southern Africa become free.”
President Ramaphosa attended the funeral of former Angolan President José Eduardo Dos Santos
On behalf of the people of South Africa, I joined the people of Angola today to pay tribute to an outstanding revolutionary and leader of the nation, President José Eduardo dos Santos. pic.twitter.com/7T36uH9ZVe
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) August 28, 2022
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