Hundreds of mourners gathered at the Christian Revival Church on Saturday morning for the funeral service of ANC stalwart and struggle veteran Dr Zola Skweyiya.

They were joined by family‚ friends and media who packed out the building in Pretoria East.

Among those present were President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ who had cut short an official trip to the UK to deal with violent protests that broke out in Mahikeng this week‚ and former president Thabo Mbeki.

Tributes honouring the former minister of social development came from two of Skweyiya’s children and ANC veterans Pallo Jordan and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma among others.

Jordan‚ who‚ like Skweyiya‚ is originally from Cape Town and had known him since their teenage years‚ described Skweyiya as a “modest” and “unassuming” person.

“He was not given to vanity‚ nor did he seek to project himself or impose himself on others‚” Jordan said.

“He was a man with the capacity to do his work quietly and diligently‚ virtually unnoticed. But the quality of his output never failed to impress.”

Skweyiya‚ who held a number of political posts throughout his life including minister of public service and administration and was a consistent member of the ANC’s national executive committee‚ died in a Pretoria hospital on April 11.

He is survived by his wife‚ Thuthukile Skweyiya‚ three sons‚ Vuyo‚ Khethaukuthula and Vukani‚ two daughters‚ Phila and Mandisa‚ and 12 grandchildren.

He will be laid to rest at the Garsfontein cemetery in Pretoria.

TimesLIVE