Final preparations for the reburial ceremony of iconic journalist and writer, Nathaniel Ndazana “Nat” Nakasa are well on track. Nakasa will be buried at Heroes Acre Cemetery, in Chesterville in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province. Organisers and family members are working around the clock to make sure that Nakasa’s final send-off is special. Various activations have been held in honour of Nat Nakasa with some currently underway. On Thursday, 11/09/14, an ecumenical church service will be held at Chesterville Community Hall, starting at 09:00

The Nat Nakasa Inaugural Lecture will take place at Moses Mabhida Stadium mixed Zone, on Friday, 12/09/14 starting at 18:00.  The lecture will be delivered former Press Ombudsman Joe Thloloe.  There will also be a discussion by former friends and colleagues of Nat Nakasa Prof. Keorapetse Kgositsile and Dr. Peter Magubane which will be facilitated by respected Mary Papayya.  The National Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa will also announce the winners of the essay and debate competitions, a joint initiative of Drum Magazine and the Department of Arts and Culture at the same event.

On Saturday, 13/09/14, Nat Nakasa’s Civic Reburial Ceremony will take place at the Durban City Hall, starting at 09:00.  Guests and members of the media must be registered and seated by 08:30. The private reburial attended only by invited guests will take place at Heroes Acre, Chesterville Cemetery Saturday afternoon. Traffic and security authorities have indicated that traffic flow in the City of Durban will be affected from the morning until in the afternoon.

Nat Nakasa was a prominent journalist born in Durban in 1937. He left South Africa on a one-way exit permit in 1964 to study as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He died tragically in New York in 1965. His mortal remains were brought back to South Africa on 19 August 2014, fifty years since he left home and twenty years into South Africa’s democracy. 

To RSVP for any of the events and for media queries contact Vuyo Ndlovu on 031 311 4838/ vuyo.ndlovu@durban.gov.za OR Mack Lewele 082 450 5076           

For comment: DAC: Spokesperson for Minister Nathi Mthethwa: Sandile Memela: 082 800 3750

For comment: eThekwini Municipality Spokesperson: Thabo Mofokeng: 082 731 7456

For comment: KZN Premier Spokesperson: Ndabezinhle Sibiya: 082 375 4742