Friday 23 June 2017 12:20
Dries Liebenberg
The SACP says Moonsamy was one of the people who laid the foundation for South Africa's democracy.(SABC)
The funeral of South African Communist Party (SACP) stalwart and Treason Trialist Kesval Kay Moonsamy will take place on Saturday at 12 noon at the Clare Estate Crematorium in Durban.
The 90-year old Moonsamy, who had been sick for some time, passed away on Wednesday night.
The SACP says Moonsamy was one of the people who laid the foundation for South Africa's democracy.
SACP spokesperson Mohubetswane Mashilo says party leader Blade Nzimande and other high ranking members visited Moonsamy just a month ago.
Mashilo says Nzimande was devastated by the news of Moonsamy's death.
"He said that we must, in honour of Comrade Moonsamy, deepen our struggle to dislodge the parasites that have captured our state so that we are able to make use of the state to serve the people. In other words the struggle was not over. We have got to intensify it in honour of the departed."
Meanwhile, President Jacob Zuma has also expressed his sadness over the passing of struggle veteran Moonsamy.
Spokesperson in the Presidency Bongani Ngqulunga says, "The President has said his passing is an enormous loss, not only to his family, but to the entire nation as he was one of the few remaining elders who contributed immensely in the liberation struggle for our freedom and democracy. Mister Moonsamy was one of the defendants in the famous Treason Trial. And he played a critical role during the liberation struggle as the Vice president of the Anti-apartheid Movement, the Natal Indian Congress as well as the member of the governing party."