The funeral of Hansie Cronje will take place in Bloemfontein on Wednesday (June 5) but, like the latter stages of his life, it is being dogged by controversy. While many leading players, administrators and friends of Cronje will be attending, Cronje's family were reported to have faxed the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB) stating that officials would not be welcome. "The UCB executive had recently said that it did not associate with Hansie Cronje," Cronje's father said in a radio interview. "In the light of that, and also in the light of statements that were made now after his death, we said that it's better that UCB executive are not welcome to attend the funeral."

However, this ban was subsequently lifted after Cronje's widow, Bertha, insisted that it would have been her husband's wish that everyone should be free to attend. The ceremony will be televised live in South Africa.

Whatever opprobrium Cronje's actions attracted while he was alive, it seems that many South Africans are prepared to forgive his mistakes and reflect on the good he did for his country. Over 1,000 people attended a memorial service on Monday.

Meanwhile, the investigations into the reasons for the plane crash on Saturday which killed Cronje and two other continued. "A full report will take some time because we have to consult with other agencies that were also involved with the rescue operations," said Trevor Abrahams, chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority. "Investigations involving aeroplane accidents are not completed within a day or two."

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