Pretoria: The Gauteng provincial government will commemorate the life and times of the late former Correctional Services Minister and National Assembly chairman, Ben Skosana, who died last Wednesday at the age of 66.

The provincial government will give the long-serving member of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), who was born in Sharpville, a provincial official funeral.

He will be laid to rest on Sunday, 23 February at the Vanderbijlpark cemetery in Emfuleni Municipality and flags will fly at half-mast on the day.

Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said: “As a province, we are extremely saddened by the passing of this exceptional South African who has held various positions within our democratic government since 1994.”

The late Skosana had been a Member of Parliament since 1994. He was appointed Chairperson of the National Assembly in 2009 – a post he held until his passing.

He was also the founder member of the IFP and represented the organisation at the CODESA negotiations that gave birth to the post-apartheid South Africa.

“We send our deepest condolences to his family at this dark hour,” Premier Mokonyane said.