President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a special provincial official funeral for the late cardiologist professor Bongani Mayosi.

Mayosi‚ the 51-year-old dean of health sciences at the University of Cape Town and a world-renowned cardiologist‚ passed away on Friday July 27. His devastated family confirmed that he had taken his own life after a long battle with depression.

Special provincial official funerals are designated for distinguished persons in South Africa. Ramaphosa instructed that the national flag be flown at half-mast in the Western Cape on Saturday when his funeral will be held in Cape Town. Mayosi was the dean of the faculty of health sciences at the university of Cape Town and an A-rated National Research Foundation researcher.

Ramaphosa again extended his deepest condolences to Mayosi’s family‚ relatives‚ friends and the health science fraternity on Thursday.

Details of the funeral will be communicated by the Western Cape provincial government. A memorial service will be held for Mayosi at UCT on Thursday.