Chairperson, hon members, Minister Molewa and Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi, ladies and gentlemen, yesterday we learnt with absolute shock and sadness of the tragic news of the passing away of yet another veteran of the ANC, Prof Kader Asmal.
We were shocked because the tragic death of Comrade Asmal has happened in the same month when we have just buried yet another stalwart and champion of our people, Mama Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu.
Our nation has lost yet another humble servant. Prof Asmal was a fearless speaker for human rights. He dedicated his life to the fight for freedom and justice in South Africa. Allow me, Chair, to join hands with our compatriots throughout the country in solemn memory to this fallen, fearless advocate for freedom, human rights and justice.
Prof Kader Asmal showed true dedication and an unwavering commitment to the founding principles of our constitutional democracy, and to the ideals of a truly united, nonracial and nonsexist society. He was one of the architects of our democracy and of the human rights culture and discourse in our country.
Prof Asmal grew up in Stanger in rural KwaZulu-Natal and, while still a schoolboy, he met the late president of the ANC and the first African to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the late Chief Albert Mvumbi Luthuli. Through his interaction with one of the leaders of the ANC and a great stalwart of our movement, Prof Asmal aspired to be a champion of our people and advocate for human rights, especially when it came to the repressive and discriminatory laws of the apartheid regime and the brutality that many of us endured under apartheid rule.
Prof Asmal spent most of his youth as a passionate teacher and a fearless advocate of human rights and international peace. He spoke against human rights abuses on the African continent, in Northern Ireland and in the Middle East, especially the plight of the people of Palestine.
In 1959 Kader qualified as a teacher and moved to London, where he continued with his studies to be a lawyer. Owing to his sharp acumen and astuteness in common law jurisprudence, he became a barrister specialising in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions. While in London, Prof Asmal continued to speak against the atrocities and repressive laws of the apartheid regime. He started the British Anti-Apartheid Movement and later the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement.
He returned to South Africa after the unbanning of the ANC in 1990. He served as a member of the ANC's constitutional committee, which spearheaded the development of the ANC's constitutional guidelines that informed the current Constitution of our country. In 1993, he served as a member of the negotiating team of the ANC at the multiparty negotiating forum, joining an illustrious list of ANC leaders who spearheaded and championed the ending of apartheid rule in our country.
After the first democratic elections in 1994, Prof Asmal was elected to the National Assembly and served the South African people as the first Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry in a democratic South Africa. It is a coincidence that you are both here today. It is in this department that he championed various programmes and initiatives to expand our people's access to clean water.
After the 1999 elections, Prof Asmal became the Minister of Education where he championed the ANC government's literacy campaign. Among his initiatives as the Minister of Education was the launching in 2001 of the South African History Project to promote and enhance the conditions and status of the learning and teaching of history in the South African schooling system. Although Prof Asmal retired from active politics in 2008, he remained an extraordinary voice among human rights defenders in South Africa, the African continent and the Middle East.
Prof Asmal lived his life for the ANC and remained an ardent member of the ANC. We know that when Prof Asmal reaches the other side of life, he will join the rest of our heroes and heroines of the ANC. We know that when the roll call is read on the parade, we will find the name of Prof Asmal among those who will be present and ready to work.
He has run the race; he fought and became the victor. All that awaits him is the crown from John Langalibalele Dube, Alfred Xuma, James Sebe Moroka, Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Ida Mtwana, Lilian Ngoyi, Dorothy Nyembe and many other departed leaders of this glorious movement. He really deserves a good rest. May his soul rest in peace. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
Chairperson, this is indeed a very sad day not just for us as members, but also for the whole of South Africa. Another tree has fallen. Today, we are talking about a fearless, disciplined and principled man.
Here we are talking about an incorruptible freedom fighter, a fighter who fought corruption with everything in his body. I was honoured and had the extreme privilege of working with Comrade Kader Asmal in Parliament since 1994. He was a true hero of our time.
He had an immense impact on everyone who knew him, as well as on South African society. His fearless contribution towards freedom and democracy in this country is to be praised. He has left behind a legacy very few men will ever fulfil in a lifetime. He was a man of great intellectual capacity. He was a professor of human rights law and deeply involved in intellectual circles. In his capacity as Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry and then of Education he exceeded himself. It is public knowledge that when he resigned from Parliament in 2008, he made it clear that it was in protest against his own party's decision to disband the elite Scorpions anticorruption unit.
More or less 14 days ago, the late Prof Asmal was on SAfm talking about the Protection of Information Bill. In that interview he advised the government to withdraw and review the Bill. That shows, once again, that he stood for justice until the end. His role as a loving father, a loving husband, and a dedicated servant of South Africa, and the stability and integrity he brought to South African society cannot be forgotten.
Cope wants to convey its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and his political party, the ANC. Go well, Comrade Kader Asmal. Job well done! Rest in peace!
Tsamaya hantle. [Go well.] [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson and hon fellow delegates, one of the privileges of being part of the first democratic Parliament constituted after the historic elections on 27 April 1994 and the subsequent constitutional assembly, was to see and meet face to face, for the first time - for me, in any case - the giants and heroes of the struggle, people who until then had been mere opponents of the then society, often caricatured and belittled by politicians and the media alike. One such giant was Prof Kader Asmal, who soon impressed me as a highly intellectual and principled leader who, despite the hardship of 30 years in exile, never lost his strong sense of humour.
Voorsitter, die feit dat prof Kader Asmal vir 30 jaar in Ierland en elders was, het hom nie weerhou om homself te bekwaam vir 'n taak wat hy geweet het op hom wag hier in Suid-Afrika nie. Daar waar hy homself in Ierland bevind het, het hy homself nie net bekwaam nie, maar hy het ook uitgestyg as 'n leier en talle eretoekennings ontvang. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Chairperson, the fact that Prof Kader Asmal lived in Ireland and elsewhere for 30 years did not restrain him from training for a task he knew would await him here in South Africa. When he found himself in Ireland, he not only capacitated himself, but also emerged as a leader, receiving a number of honorary awards.]
Much will be said and much has been said about his political life, but, to me, he will be remembered as a man of strong principle, and whatever the case may be, whatever the circumstances, I never ever saw him deviate from the principles that he stood for.
As ons in ag neem dat prof Kader Asmal maar vir 'n bietjie meer as twee dekades sy lewe in sy moederland kon kom afsluit, moet ons die gebeure wat dit voorafgegaan het en dit veroorsaak het weereens ernstig betreur. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[When we take into consideration the fact that Prof Kader Asmal could only return to his native country for two decades to complete his life, we must once again seriously lament those events which preceded and occasioned this.]
While we pay tribute to him as a man, the DA also wishes to pay tribute to his services to his country and certainly to his party, to that which he stood for, and also to convey our sincere condolences to his beloved family.
Mag sy siel in vrede rus. Ek dank u. [Applous.] [May his soul rest in peace. I thank you. [Applause.]]
Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members of this House, we wish to extend our deepest, heartfelt condolences to the family of the late freedom struggle icon, Prof Kader Asmal, in their time of bereavement.
The announcement of his death yesterday has been a sudden and tragic loss for the entire country. The 76-year-old Prof Kader Asmal was a fearless fighter for freedom and human rights. Up until the last week of his life, he was fighting for the rights of South Africans without the aim of self- enrichment.
Prof Asmal served the people of South Africa and his nation without wavering from the foundations and goals of our democracy. He added substance and value to each and every task afforded to him and stood firm in his beliefs. Just a few days ago he encouraged South Africans to stand firm against government's proposed Protection of Information Bill. His independent voice will be sorely missed. He played a vital role in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, which led to the dawn of a democratic nation and, later, our Constitution.
Prof Asmal was an irreplaceable entity in the Mandela and Mbeki Cabinets in which he served. From being the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry from 1994, a member of the ANC's national executive committee, and education Minister from 1999, Prof Asmal will be missed by the thousands of students, locally and abroad, whom he has inspired over the years with his enthusiasm and positive outlook.
Let me close with what Paul said to Timothy.
Paulus s vir Timoteus: Ek het die goeie stryd gestry. Ek het die wedloop voleindig. Ek het die geloof behou.
Daarmee wil ek s dat Kader Asmal regtig die goeie stryd gestry het, en dis hoekom hy suksesvol was - omdat ander mense se belange net so belangrik vir hom was as sy eie. Daardeur wil ons s: Mag sy siel in vrede rus en sy familie vrede daaruit put dat iemand sy lewe neergel het en dat ons wat agterbly in sy voetspore moet volg. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Paul said to Timothy: I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.
With that I want to say that Kader Asmal truly did fight the good fight, and that is why he was successful - because other people's interests were as important to him as his own. With this we are saying: May his soul rest in peace and may his family find peace in the fact that someone has laid down his life and that those of us who are left behind must follow in his footsteps. I thank you. [Applause.]]
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo, egameni leqembu leNkatha yeNkululeko sizwakalisa okukhulu ukudabuka ngokudlula emhlabeni kwaleyo ndodana yendoda ye-Afrika.
Siyawazi-ke umsebenzi omkhulu uSolwazi Asmal awenzele izwe laseNingizimu Afrika nabantu balo bonke. Siyakukhalela kakhulu ukuthi iqembu lakhe lenkululeko lilahlekelwe kakhulu ngokuhamba kwaleyo ndoda engusolwazi ebinokucabanga kwazi - njengoba lisho igama lithi solwazi - okusho ukuthi ebenolwazi olungaphezulu kokuthile, ekwazi ukuthi acabange ngokwehlukile kunabanye uma ecabanga ukubeka umbono wakhe njengesakhamuzi saleli lizwe.
Ngidabuka kakhulu ukuthi le ndoda iphuma kuleyo ndawo okuzalwa kuyo amaqhawe, laphaya KwaDukuza kwaZulu-Natali, lapho kukhona khona iNkosi uLuthuli njengenkosi yamakholwa endaweni yasemishini okuthiwa iGroutville. USolwazi ngiyazi-ke ukuthi ukukhula kwakhe ngo-1934 uzalelwe kuleyo ndawo, wagxoba kuleyo nhlabathi.
Futhi, ngeke sakholwa ukuthi uSolwazi Asmal waba uNgqongqoshe ngesikhathi leli lizwe lakithi liwela enkululekweni yalo, lapho asebenza khona kwikhabhinethi njengoN gqongqoshe weZamanzi njengoba sebebekile ozakwenu, waphinde waba uNgqongqoshe weZemfundo. Iminikelo yakhe emkhulu eMnyangweni weZemfundo yabonakala kakhulu. Iminikelo yakhe emikhulu lapho kwakhiwa khona iziKhungo zeSahluko sesiShiyagalolunye [Chapter 9 Institutions] yaba sobala, kwacaca bha ukuthi kucabanga indodana ye-Afrika.
Egameni leNkatha ngikhalela umndeni wakhe, abangani bakhe, iqembu elibusayo, ukuthi akwehlanga olungehliyo. Hamba kahle Solwazi Asmal. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, on behalf of the IFP, I would like to express our deepest condolences on the passing of this son of Africa. We know the great work that he did for South Africa and all her people. We note that his party has suffered a huge loss with the death of a man who was a professor with a great mind - as his title implies that he had greater knowledge, and was able to think differently from others when he wanted to make his point as a citizen of this country.
I feel so saddened in noting that this man came from a place where heroes were born, the place of KwaDukuza in KwaZulu-Natal, where Chief Luthuli was the chief of the Christian community in the mission called Groutville. I know that in his early years in 1934, the professor was born in that area and lived in that place.
And, we won't forget that Prof Asmal became a Minister when this country of ours gained its freedom, where he served in the Cabinet as the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, as our colleagues have already mentioned, and later became the Minister of Education. His contributions in education were hugely significant. His major contributions were when the Chapter 9 institutions were established, as it became very clear that the decisions were those of the son of Africa.
On behalf of the IFP, I convey my condolences to his family, friends, and the ruling party, saying that they must be consoled. Farewell, Prof Asmal. I thank you. [Applause.]]
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and hon members, allow me to join the House in paying tribute to a fallen, fearless advocate of freedom, human rights and justice in our country.
Comrade Kader Asmal was well known for his independent thinking and raised his views very sharply, particularly on matters that have been prominently reported on as part of our national discourse. He did so because he was a disciplined and loyal member of the ANC and a true patriot who understood that we come from a past in which free speech was suppressed. He, together with many veterans of our own struggle, was the architect of our democracy that guarantees the rights of all our citizens to raise their views.
What some want to project as dissent and opposition to our government - because he was critical of certain policy proposals - is really a part of the deep-rooted culture of the ANC which encourages open, free, frank and democratic debate within the ANC and society at large. This culture has been born out of the 99 years of struggle against colonialism that sought to subjugate the views of our people.
Comrade Kader raised his views as a dedicated member in his branch, as a veteran and as a highly esteemed intellectual. He did so because he knew he had an obligation and was duty-bound to do so. The ANC always relies on its elders and veterans to guide and raise matters which they feel should be raised, in line with our customs, traditions and norms, and Comrade Kader Asmal knew that he had that particular responsibility.
Comrade Kader never said that, should matters he disagreed with be proceeded with, he would leave the ANC. He remained a loyal cadre of the ANC until his final breath. He understood that his views would have to undergo a process of democratic debate within the ANC and our government, and that the final result of this process would be accepted by all. This is our culture, and Comrade Kader always abided by these principles.
It is, therefore, opportunistic for anyone to argue differently and to distort the history and immense contribution this great leader, visionary and intellectual made towards the liberation and construction of our country.
We want to extend our deepest and profound heartfelt condolences to the Asmal family, especially to his wife, two sons and grandchildren. Our movement and the people of South Africa will solely miss him. May his soul rest in peace. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.