SENIOR Intelligence officials are expected to descend on East London this weekend to pay their final respects to former Umkhonto weSizwe commander and State Security Agency colleague, Luthando Beza.
Beza died at his home in Nelspruit on August 27 after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Family spokesman Petros Vantyu said his death came as a shock to the family because he died a few days after the accident.
"He was never hospitalised as he had sustained what we thought were minor injuries. After the accident he went home and a few days later he passed away while at home," Vantyu told the Dispatch.
Vantyu described Beza as a "family man, an activist, a person of high morals and standards who loved his work and had a sense of humour".
Beza was born on November 27 1957 in Ngqamakhwe at Mpukane village where he attended his primary education until his family moved to Duncan Village in 1966.
Due to the then apartheid government's forced removal policy, his family was forced to move to Mdantsane in 1976 where he did his high school studies at Mzomhle.
He then studied at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, returning to work at Mercedes-Benz SA in East London after his studies.
His interest in politics encouraged him to join Umkhonto weSizwe in 1982 under the leadership of Madas Msauli.
After joining UMkhonto weSizwe he was deployed in underground operations.
He worked in various capacities in the National Intelligence Agency until it was renamed as the State Security Agency.
Beza's memorial service will be held today at Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre at 5.30pm and the funeral on Saturday, September 6 at NU10 Stadium at 10am. He is survived by his wife Khanyisa Nosizwe Beza and four children.
Story by: Siphe Makanda
Story Source: The Daily Dispatch