A memorial service for controversial businessman Sandi Majali will be held at the Bryanston Methodist Church on Thursday afternoon, his lawyer John Ngcebetsha said on Tuesday.
The funeral arrangements were still being finalised, but it was likely to take place next week, said Ngcebetsha.
The memorial service will begin at 3pm and the speakers would be confirmed by Thursday morning.
Ngcebetsha said the family will still waiting for post-mortem results.
The 48-year-old Majali was found dead in his room at the Sandton Quatermain Hotel in Johannesburg on Sunday morning.
On Monday, Ngcebetsha said it was highly unlikely that Majali’s death was a suicide.
“There is no evidence that suggests that at all. It seems highly unlikely at this point.”
Independent pathologist
The family had decided to appoint an independent pathologist to examine the body.
“They appeal to all to avoid speculation of those results, to enable the results to speak for themselves.”
He said the family confirmed that at the time of his death Majali had been suffering from a “respiratory challenge” for which he was undergoing treatment.
He had been staying at the hotel to rest and receive treatment.
Ngcebetsha said Majali’s family believed there had been attempts to unfairly persecute him during his life.
“They call for the media to back off from this and let him rest peacefully.”
The family believed in his innocence and saw him as a “trustworthy and “honest” person.
Financial trouble
Majali, who was said to be in financial trouble, came into the public eye following his role in the so-called Oilgate scandal that saw him “donate” R11-million of PetroSA’s funds to the African National Congress ahead of the 2004 elections.
Asked on Tuesday if the ANC had any comment on Majali’s death, party spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said simply “no”.
Majali was arrested in October 2010 by the SA Police Service Commercial Crimes Unit on fraud charges and was released on bail. This was after the directorships of mining company Kalahari Resources were changed from Brian Amos Mashile and his sister Daphne Mashile-Nkosi to a group of eight people including Majali.
The two siblings had to bring an urgent interdict before the High Court in Johannesburg to get themselves reinstated as directors of the company.
Majali was due to appear in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court again on January 18.
On Tuesday, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said charges would be dropped against Majali.
“When we [have received] a valid death certificate we will have to withdraw all charges against him on the 18th of January.”
Majali’s three co-accused Stephan Khoza, Haralambos Sferopoulous and Elvis Bongani Ndala, recently appeared in court over their mental fitness to stand trial. — Sapa