President Ramaphosa declares Official Funeral to honor Chester Williams

The 49-year-old veteran of the 1995 Rugby World Cup – and the first player of color to represent the Springboks since the 1980s – passed away on Friday, 6 September 2019.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has honored the late rugby hero, Chester Mornay Williams, with a declaration of a Special Provincial Official Funeral (category 2).

The 49-year-old veteran of the 1995 Rugby World Cup – and the first player of color to represent the Springboks since the 1980s – passed away on Friday, 6 September 2019. Most recently, he was the coach of the University of the Western Cape rugby side.

Mr. Williams' funeral will be held at the Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town at 12h00 on Saturday 14 September 2019 and will, in terms of the declaration by the President, contain ceremonial elements that will be provided by the South African Police Service.

President Ramaphosa has also instructed that the National Flag fly at half-mast in the Western Cape Province on the day of the funeral of Mr. Chester Mornay Williams.

When the National Flag is half-masted, it should first be hoisted to the top of the flagstaff and then slowly lowered one-third of the length of the flagpost from the top of the flagstaff.

Before the flag is lowered at sunset, or at the appointed time, it should first be hoisted to the top of the flagstaff.

Regulations require that no other flags (eg SAPS, SANDF, corporate flags etc) should be displayed when the National Flag is flown at half-mast.

(With Inputs from South African Presidency Release)