South Africa mourns anti-apartheid activist Mlangeni

JOHANNESBURG – South African officials have gathered — not always at a distance — for the state funeral of anti-apartheid activist Andrew Mlangeni, the last surviving member of the group including Nelson Mandela that was sentenced to life in prison at the historic Rivonia trial.

Mlangeni died last week at age 95 after being hospitalized with abdominal pains.

Images on social media show masked mourners clustered around his casket Wednesday after a ceremony in which President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy to carefully spaced attendees.

South Africa months ago limited funerals to 50 mourners, another ripple of pain in a country that now has the world’s fifth largest confirmed coronavirus caseload with more than 459,000, including more than 7,200 deaths. Officials believe the real number of deaths is higher.