The Nelson Mandela metropolitan council has dropped plans to rebury the remains of President Thabo Mbeki’s late father, Govan, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday.
The municipality earlier announced plans to relocate his remains to the newly built Red Location Museum. However, the family objected.
Mayor Nceba Faku told the public broadcaster plans to rebury Mbeki Snr were never concrete.
”There’s absolutely no way in which can move him against that wish of Mrs Mbeki and the will of Mr Mbeki without the consent of Mrs Mbeki,” the mayor said.
The plan to relocate the remains of Mbeki’s father was slammed as illegal and immoral by his family, the Sunday Times reported.
The president’s brother, Moeletsi Mbeki, co-executor of their father’s estate, said his father will never be moved from his grave and that any reburial would be illegal in terms of his will.
”It was my father’s will to be buried there [at Zwide cemetery]. The only way they can change it is by going to the high court to overturn my father’s will — and I will oppose that application if they do that.”
Govan Mbeki, a veteran of the African National Congress’s liberation struggle, died at his home in Port Elizabeth in August 2001.
Best known to younger generations for his relationship to his more famous son, ”Oom Gov” carved a place in history as a political leader and intellectual in his own right.
The ANC at the time of his death described him as a man who brought with him ”the rare qualities of selflessness and utter devotion to the cause of the oppressed and exploited millions of our country”.