Mpumalanga Premier, Refilwe Mthsweni-Tsipane, has apologised after she was filmed not wearing a mask at the cemetery where Jackson Mthembu was being laid to rest on Sunday.
Mtshweni-Tsipane claims she did not know the mask had fallen off.
Footage taken after the funeral shows her arriving at the cemetery without a mask.
She then hugs a police officer, and waves as she makes her way towards the grave.
Earlier, at the funeral service, deputy president David Mabuza signalled to Mtshweni-Tsipane to put her mask on as she left the podium.
The premier’s office says the premier didn’t realise that her mask had been damaged and was oblivious to the fact that it had fallen off.
Her aides found a replacement, which she used for the rest of the proceedings.