State Funerals
At a State funeral in South Africa the State assumes responsibility for the ceremonial arrangements and provides appropriate military honours. Such a funeral constitutes the final act of homage by the State and the nation to South Africans who have held high public office or rendered distinguished service. The Cabinet decides whether a State funeral should be offered. It is guided by precedent and by such considerations as the public office which the deceased held, the nature of the services rendered to the nation and the public esteem which the deceased enjoyed.
State funerals were accorded to Sir Patrick Duncan and Dr. E. G. Jansen, both of whom died while serving as Governor-General. Other recipients of this honour were General Louis Botha, the first Prime Minister of the Union, and General C. R. de Wet, as well as Advocate J. G. Strijdom and Dr. H. F. Verwoerd, both of whom died in office as Prime Minister; Dr. D. F. Malan, a former Prime Minister; Dr. T. E. Donges, State President Elect and former Cabinet Minister; Mrs. Rachel Isabella Steyn, widow of the last President of the Orange Free State, and Cabinet Ministers such as Mr. J. H. Viljoen, Dr. A. J. Stals and Mr. M. C. G. J. (Basie) van Rensburg, who died in office. General J. B. M. Hertzog’s family declined the offer of a State funeral. The family of Field Marshal J. C. Smuts also declined an offer of a State funeral and preferred a military funeral.
If the offer of a State funeral is accepted by the family, the funeral service is usually held in a church of the denomination to which the deceased belonged. A historic change was introduced on the death of Prime Minister Strijdom when the Cabinet decided that the service should be held in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria. This precedent was followed a few years later at the time of Dr. Verwoerd’s death. The officiating clergymen are selected in consultation with the deceased’s family, whose wishes are also sought on such matters as the order of service and choice of hymns. Clergymen are drawn from both language groups. The military honours, which are an integral part of State funerals, are determined by military protocol, by the deceased’s military associations and the public office which the deceased held. Flags are flown at half-mast from Government buildings on the day of the State funeral.
South African diplomatic and consular missions abroad also fly their flags half-mast on that day.
Unlike several other countries, South Africa has no national church, cemetery or pantheon for the burial of its leaders and famous citizens. Dr. Jansen and Prime Ministers Strijdom and Verwoerd were buried in the Heroes’ Acre at the Old Cemetery in Church Street West , Pretoria , which has acquired some of the attributes of a national cemetery. General Louis Botha was buried in the New Cemetery in Pretoria West. General Hertzog was buried on his farm Waterval, near Witbank. Field Marshal Smuts was cremated and his ashes scattered from a hilltop on his farm near Irene. Dr. Malan and Dr. Donges were buried in the cemetery at Stellenbosch.
For the Afrikaners, the National Women’s Monument at Bloemfontein is also a national burial-place.