Sickness prevented Epainette Mbeki from travelling to Pretoria to receive the Order of the Baobab on Thursday, said the chancellor of the national orders, Frank Chikane.
Mbeki, who lives in the Eastern Cape, was to have been conferred with the honour by her son, President Thabo Mbeki, for her ”exceptional contribution to the economic upliftment of the underprivileged communities of the Eastern Cape and her commitment to the fight against apartheid”.
”Alternative arrangements will be made to confer the honour on her,” Chikane said.
The Order of the Baobab, the Order of Luthuli, the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo and the Order of Mapungubwe are conferred on male and female leaders in their fields and countries who have contributed to a democratic South Africa.
The president conferred the Order of the Companion of OR Tambo on four former African leaders at the awards ceremony at the Unions Buildings on Thursday.
King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho and King Sobhuza II of Swaziland were honoured for their ”exceptional contributions to the struggle against apartheid through supporting the liberation movement in times of need”.
The same award was made posthumously to Botswana’s former president Sir Seretse Khama for his ”exceptional contribution to the struggle against apartheid through supporting the liberation movement in times of need, and contributing to the development of the African continent”. — Sapa