President Cyril Ramaphosa expresses his condolences to Dr. Essop Pahad's family
By Neo Poho
Following the family of Dr. Essop Pahad confirming his death on Thursday morning, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was deeply saddened by the death of the struggle stalwart and expressed his condolences to his friends and family.
While the family has alluded that funeral arrangements would be finalised soon, Pahad died in his sleep on Thursday morning at the age of 84.
Having served as the Minister in the Presidency from 1999 to 2008 and was known as former president Thabo Mbeki's right-hand man, Pahad also served in the leadership of the ANC and the SACP.
"We mourn the passing of a veteran of our struggle, 65 years after he took his first revolutionary step of becoming a member of the Transvaal Indian Congress.
Security crackdowns, banning and exile shaped Essop Pahad's contribution over decades to our struggle and, as parliamentary counsellor to former president Thabo Mbeki and Minister in the Presidency, to the early design and impact of our democratic state," Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa also added Pahad served the country with pride, principle, pragmatism, and a charm that lived comfortably alongside a tongue that could lash severely at the right provocation.
The 84-year old held a PhD in history from the University of Sussex and a master's degree from the same university as well.
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