Joost van der Westhuizen to receive provincial official funeral
Speaking at a memorial for the late rugby star, Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula said Van der Westhuizen had inspired future generations of rugby players
Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula glowingly compared Joost van der Westhuizen to rugby greats such as George Gregan and Jonah Lomu, during the public and provincial memorial service in Pretoria on Friday. Mbalula confirmed that Van der Westhuizen had been accorded a special provincial official funeral‚ with flags in Gauteng flown at half mast on Friday. The former Springbok rugby star died on Monday aged 45 following a long battle with motor neuron disease (MND). "For Joost is not only the golden boy of Loftus Versfeld‚ he is a national star and international sport icon in the league of George Gregan of Australia‚ Jonah Lomu and Dan Carter of New Zealand‚" Mbalula said in his address at the memorial at Loftus Versfeld. "We speak of him in these glowing terms because we believe his undying spirit will live on for many years to come‚ inspiring future generations of this rugby and sports-living nation‚" he said. "The Gauteng government and national government have been comma...
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