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ANC veteran Kader Asmal has died. Photo: Damaris Helwig

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ANC stalwart Kader Asmal suffered a serious heart attack and died while he was in hospital for a stomach ailment, his family said on Wednesday.

“Asmal was admitted to the Constantiaberg Medi Clinic on June 17 for treatment of a stomach ailment.

“He was making reasonable progress in a general ward up until late last night (Tuesday) when he suffered a serious heart attack,” said family spokesman Allan Taylor.

“He was resuscitated and moved to the intensive care unit. Unfortunately he did not regain consciousness and died this afternoon (Wednesday) at 4pm.”

Asmal leaves his wife Louise, his sons Rafiq and Adam, and two grandchildren, Oisin and Zoë.

In line with his final wishes his body would be cremated in a private family ceremony, Taylor said.

“The family has requested that his final wishes be respected and that they are given the space to mourn his passing.

“Louise and the family thank you for all the support and good wishes that they have been receiving at this time.”

Meanwhile, tributes were pouring in for the former education minister, life-long defender of universal human rights and prominent champion of the South African constitution he had helped draft.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said Asmal served South Africa without an aim of self-enrichment.

“He served his people and his nation, without a thought of self-enrichment or aggrandisement,” he said.

“He added substance and vigour to whatever he did, from the international anti-apartheid movement, to the negotiations that gave birth to our democratic nation, and later, our constitution; and from the cabinets in which he served under presidents (Nelson) Mandela and (Thabo) Mbeki, to the generations of academics and students he inspired, from Trinity College in Ireland to the University of the Western Cape.”

Tutu sent his condolences to Asmal’s family saying, “if it is any consolation to them in this time of grief, one of the first people Kader will bump into in heaven is a certain Albertina Sisulu”.

“He is in good company.”

Asmal, who retired from active politics in 2008, appeared in public for the last time just days ago when he shook off his physical frailty to address Cosatu’s Young Workers Forum in Cape Town.

In what will now go down as his last public speaking engagement, Asmal criticised the corrupt practices of tenderpreneurs, slammed the National Youth Development Agency as a “farce” for wasting millions of rand on a youth festival, and warned against the introduction of the controversial Protection of Information Bill.

In a letter of support last Wednesday to the Right2Know campaign – an organisation actively opposed to the introduction of the so-called “Secrecy Bill” – Asmal called for the proposed law to be scrapped.

President Jacob Zuma paid tribute to Asmal, saying he had made “a sterling contribution to the struggle for liberation” and had “sacrificed a lot in his life” to ensure that freedom and democracy were won. He had also made his mark as minister of water and forestry and of education.

“He will be remembered for his energy, forthrightness, efficiency and commitment to making this country a better place each day,” Zuma said.

“He will also always be remembered for his passion for human rights for all.”

The ANC on Wednesday night said it was “deeply saddened by news of the passing of one of the movement’s foremost intellectual giants”.

“Comrade Kader’s immeasurable contribution in the liberation of South Africa ensured that the ANC earned respect from the international community and some progressive foreign governments.

“During his years of exile in Europe, Comrade Kader … continued to raise the ANC flag high – deepening the understanding of the international community about the ANC and the South African Struggle for freedom.

“The ANC salutes the sacrifices made by Comrade Kader, his family and his generation for what they endured for us to enjoy democracy and freedom.

“Without the sacrifices made by Comrade Kader’s generation, we would still be experiencing colonial and apartheid oppression. We send our sincere condolences to the Asmal family, relatives, friends and the entire congress movement.”

DA leader Helen Zille conveyed her party’s sincere condolences to Asmal’s family.

“Professor Asmal will be remembered for many things, but particularly for his scholarship and his contribution to entrenching constitutionalism in South Africa.

“He left Parliament on principle, refusing to vote for the abolition of the Scorpions,” Zille noted.

She lauded Asmal’s “path-breaking analysis of the chapter 9 institutions, particularly their politicisation through cadre deployment”.

Asmal was “far more than a politician”, she said.

“He represented the best of a generation of Struggle heroes, who made unimaginable sacrifices to realise a democratic South Africa.

“We will honour his memory by vigilantly guarding the constitution and achieving the vision of a South Africa that offers the opportunity of a better life for all.”

ID leader and Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille expressed shock at the “sudden and tragic loss of a freedom Struggle icon”.

“Kader Asmal was a fearless fighter for freedom and human rights. Up until the last week of his life, he had been fighting for the rights of South Africans,” she said.

“Just a few days ago he encouraged South Africans to stand firm against the Protection of Information Bill. His sudden passing away is a huge loss to South Africa and we are saddened that his independent voice will no longer be heard.”

IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi also mourned the loss of a man who “inspired the liberalists in the ANC”, saying Asmal’s departure “weakened our democracy and impoverished our republic”.

“One of the greatest independent thinking and outspoken minds has left us,” Buthelezi said.

“With his death the republic has lost one of the most vigilant custodians of our freedoms and constitutional order, who never feared to speak up on matters of principle.

“He will remain an example of a courageous life, dedicated and inspired by the highest values a democrat and a man of principle can aspire to.”

Buthelezi expressed the wish that the ANC “will hold (Asmal’s) example high to teach the values which forged our generation”.

The SACP expressed “shock and sadness” at Asmal’s passing.

“Professor Asmal played an important role in our struggle to build a democratic, prosperous, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa. He also played an important role in the transition – especially in the process of drafting the constitution. He was an intellectual who loved robust debates and was always in search of new ideas to confront the greatest challenges facing our country.”

The SACP said although it did not always agree with Asmal’s ideas, it “respected his intellectual contribution” in the country’s reconstruction and development.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Asmal had been a “lifelong fighter for freedom and justice”.

The foundation quoted from a letter sent by Mandela to Asmal on his 75th birthday, in which he wrote: “While serving in our cabinet we often referred to you as the ‘Minister of All Portfolios’.

“Although we did so in a humorous way, there was truth to it.

“Few people have the knowledge and experience to compare with you and… your wealth of knowledge is an asset to our movement and our country.” – Pretoria News