- Frene Ginwala, the founding Speaker of Parliament, died at her home after suffering a stroke.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has described her as a formidable patriot and leader.
- Her family has requested a private funeral and the government will soon announce a memorial service for her.
President Cyril Ramaphosa sent his condolences to the family of Parliament’s post-democracy founding speaker, Frene Ginwala, who passed away on Thursday.
In a statement on Friday, Ramaphosa said Ginwala, 90, had a stroke two weeks ago.
She served as the president of the National Assembly from 1994 until she retired in 2004.
“Today we mourn the passing of a formidable patriot and leader of our nation, and an internationalist for whom justice and democracy throughout the world remained a passionate pursuit until her last days.
“Among the many roles he took on throughout his life, [which] she led to the fullest, we have a duty to remember her establishment of our democratic Parliament, which was tasked with undoing decades-old apartheid legislation and shaping the legislative foundations of free and democratic South Africa,” said Ramaphosa.
The president added that many of the rights enjoyed today originate from the legislative program of the inaugural democratic Parliament, led by Ginwala and with Nelson Mandela as president.
“Frene Ginwala embodied the spirit and expectations of our then fledgling Constitution and played an important role in building the capacity of Parliament through transforming activists and leaders into legislators who, in turn, were able to transform our country,” Ramaphosa added.
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In a tribute to her 90th birthday last year, Parliament said Ginwala had “laid a firm foundation for a democratic legislative sector. With her firm, learned and no-nonsense leadership of the first democratic National Assembly, Dr Ginwala established oversight solid and lasting, legislative and participatory systems, which Parliament continues to pursue today”.
He also said that Ginwala had promoted the principles of non-sexism, non-racism and equality. In 2005, Ginwala was awarded the Order of Luthuli in silver for her contribution to the fight against gender oppression and for championing the path of non-sexism and non-racism.
Thabo Mbeki, Frene Ginwala, Nelson Mandela, Leon Wessels and FW De Klerk walking from Parliament to Tuynhuys in Cape Town after the adoption of the new Constitution in 1996. PHOTO: Gallo Images/Oryx Media Archive
A tribute from the National Assembly added: “With his deep political experience, global perspective, sharp mind and intellectual rigour, he was instrumental in the democratic transformation of Parliament, in line with the new constitutional order. Along with the first generation of Speakers of Parliament and members, and under his astute leadership, he transformed Parliament from a bastion of colonial oppression and apartheid to a truly democratic and people-centred parliament.”
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The country has “lost another giant among a special generation of leaders” to whom it owes its freedom, Ramaphosa said.
The presidential statement said the family had requested a private funeral.
Details of an official memorial will be announced.
