Children of the late Andrew Mlangeni said his death had left them “cold” and “devastated”.

“Your untimely death left me devastated,” said Mlangeni's son Sello at his father's funeral at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus on Wednesday.

He said Mlangeni has served the country quietly without fanfare.

“You took pride in being a back room boy. Despite your prominence, you were always accessible to ordinary people,” said Sello.

“You are known for your resilience against human adversity. Your death has left us shattered. You were physically and mentally strong. You were the soul of the family.

“You may have passed on but your soul lives within us. We take comfort that you will be reuniting with your loving wife, June. You will also be reuniting with your comrades who departed before you. We are proud of the contribution you have made in this country,” Sello said.

“My heart is cold,” Mlangeni's daughter, Sylvia said.

She described Mlangeni as a loving person.

“He was someone we went to when we had problems. We shared him with the whole nation. It is difficult to console yourself when you are in pain, but with the support we have received, we feel consoled.

“All we need to do is celebrate his life. He has lived a beautiful life. We will dearly miss him,” she said.

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