”An African icon”, a ”true son of Africa” and a man who ”helped reaffirm the dignity of all South Africans” were among the tributes pouring in for anti-apartheid cleric Beyers Naude who died on Tuesday morning.
Naude died at 89 with his wife Ilse and his four children at his bedside at his retirement home in Johannesburg.
Former president Nelson Mandela said Naude was a ”brave man as he stood up against apartheid at a time when it was an unpopular thing for white people to do and he did so at the expense of his family and his freedom”.
Mandela said his life was one of ”contribution, a true humanitarian and a true son of Africa”, a statement sent on behalf of Mandela said.
The SA Council of Churches, for which Naude became Secretary General at the height of apartheid in 1985, said: ”We mourn the loss of a great African.”
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa called Naude an ”African Icon” and said it was thanks to people of his calibre that South Africa could celebrate 10 years of democracy.
”This humble man with an incisive mind, whose courage of his Christian convictions saw him being stripped of his dignity by his own church, inspired many to stand up against an unholy system, condemned by the world,” a statement from the church said.
The Young Communist League said: ”It is through the efforts, actions and commitment of Oom Bey and many other leaders who took apartheid down to where it belongs, in history.”
Ray McCauley, head of the Rhema Church, said Naude would be remembered for his unrelenting commitment towards reconciliation in South Africa.
The African National Congress lauded Naude for following his conscience in condemning apartheid despite the ire of the community in which he was born.
”In taking the strong moral stand that he did, Naude helped to reaffirm the dignity of all South Africans, strengthened the cause of non-racialism, and earned the love and respect of the majority of South Africans.”
Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said: ”We are a free nation today because of people like Dr Naude. He was brave enough to take a stand against the National Party government of the past and refused to back down, despite being banned for his viewpoint. It is a blessing that he was able to experience the dawn of democracy in 1994; South Africa will always be indebted to him.”
The ashes of Beyers Naude will be scattered in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, following a private family service on the morning of September 18, the SA Council of Churches said on Tuesday.
Secretary General Molefe Tsele said this would be followed by a public service at the Aasvoelkop Dutch Reformed church in Northcliff at 2pm on the same day.
He said it was Naude’s wishes that his funeral be kept simple.
The Alexandra service would be held at the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa where Naude was taken in after he left the Dutch Reformed Church at Aasvöelkop. – Sapa