SHARIKA REGCHAND
PIETERMARITZBURG BUREAU
Politicians, judges and members of the legal fraternity are among those expected to attend the memorial service for former KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Herbert Msimang in Pietermaritzburg tomorrow.
The service for Judge Msimang, who died at the Midlands Medical Centre in Pietermaritzburg last Thursday where he had been treated for a heart ailment, takes place at the Royal Showgrounds from 1pm to 3pm.
His funeral service will be held at Hilton College on Saturday at 9am.
Provincial Department of Justice spokeswoman Noma Chiliza said the department had been informed that President Jacob Zuma might be attending the memorial service, but had not yet received confirmation.
Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo and Justice Minister Jeff Radebe were also expected to attend the memorial service, she said.
“We have informed all the relevant people of the memorial service and funeral. As we all know, nobody RSVPs to funerals,” she added.
Chiliza said that the venue was chosen for security reasons as they did not want the place to be “easily accessible”.
She added that the hall at the showgrounds where the memorial service would be held could accommodate 400 people.
“From inquiries we have been receiving, we are expecting more people,” she said.
Acting Judge President Chiman Patel’s secretary, Roma Morar, said most judges, including former judge president Vuka Tshabalala, were expected to attend.
Presidential spokesman Zizi Kodwa said Zuma would not be attending the service since he was leaving for China yesterday and was expected to return on Saturday.
When asked if Zuma would be attending the funeral, he said he had not been made aware of this.
In September 2006, Msimang made headlines when he struck Zuma’s high-profile fraud case off the roll, sternly criticising the National Prosecuting Authority for its handling of the matter.