PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Tributes pour in for SA liberation hero
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Tributes are pouring in for South Africa's legendary anti-apartheid activist Kader Asmal, who died in Cape Town on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack at the age of 76.
During his years of exile in Europe, Asmal continued to raise the ANC flag high - deepening the understanding of the international community about the struggle for freedom.
After the unbanning of the ANC in the 1990s, Asmal returned to South Africa to continue with the struggle for liberation, which led to constitutional talks that paved the way for the country's first democratic elections and the birth of the first democratic Parliament in 1994.
He became one of the founder members of that Parliament and later served as a Cabinet Minister - first in Water Affairs and Forestry and later in Education.
President Jacob Zuma said Asmal made a sterling contribution to the struggle for liberation and sacrificed a lot in his life to ensure the attainment of freedom and democracy.
"He will be remembered for his energy, forthrightness, efficiency and commitment to making this country a better place each day. He will also always be remembered for his passion for human rights for all," President Zuma said.
Opposition Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said Asmal represented the best of a generation of struggle heroes.
"Asmal was far more than a politician. He represented the best of a generation of struggle heroes who made unimaginable sacrifices to realise a democratic South Africa," she said.
Former president Thabo Mbeki called Asmal an outstanding fighter for the liberation of South Africa and one of the architects of democracy.
"All of us who knew and worked with him could always depend on him as a steadfast fighter for the liberation and advancement of the interests of all South Africans," he said.
-0- PANA CU/SEG 23June2011
During his years of exile in Europe, Asmal continued to raise the ANC flag high - deepening the understanding of the international community about the struggle for freedom.
After the unbanning of the ANC in the 1990s, Asmal returned to South Africa to continue with the struggle for liberation, which led to constitutional talks that paved the way for the country's first democratic elections and the birth of the first democratic Parliament in 1994.
He became one of the founder members of that Parliament and later served as a Cabinet Minister - first in Water Affairs and Forestry and later in Education.
President Jacob Zuma said Asmal made a sterling contribution to the struggle for liberation and sacrificed a lot in his life to ensure the attainment of freedom and democracy.
"He will be remembered for his energy, forthrightness, efficiency and commitment to making this country a better place each day. He will also always be remembered for his passion for human rights for all," President Zuma said.
Opposition Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said Asmal represented the best of a generation of struggle heroes.
"Asmal was far more than a politician. He represented the best of a generation of struggle heroes who made unimaginable sacrifices to realise a democratic South Africa," she said.
Former president Thabo Mbeki called Asmal an outstanding fighter for the liberation of South Africa and one of the architects of democracy.
"All of us who knew and worked with him could always depend on him as a steadfast fighter for the liberation and advancement of the interests of all South Africans," he said.
-0- PANA CU/SEG 23June2011
