Hundreds mourn Kader Asmal in CT
2011-06-30 17:26
Cape Town - Hundreds of people turned out for the memorial service of the late Professor Kader Asmal, who died a week ago aged 76, that was held in Cape Town on Thursday.
“Wherever Kader was, there would always be people around him. He had the ‘queen bee’ effect,” said a former colleague of his, Judge Yvonne Mokgoro, who worked with Asmal while he was a professor for human rights at the University of the Western Cape.
“He was a hard person to work with and it was not easy to debate with him, because he had so much knowledge and intellect,” said Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
Asmal will be remembered by many for his integral roles he played in introducing the Outcomes Based Education curriculum, making the water in Cape Town more “sexy”, and establishing the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, among many others.
He served as the chairperson for the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement from 1972 until 1990, which boycotted all South African products.
He was described by many as a humanitarian, who constantly fought for basic human rights.
“We must strive to produce many Kader Asmals who, in addition to high educational achievements, constantly embraced humanism,” said Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.
He added that the passing of Asmal deepened the country’s pain, because we have recently seen the death of Albertina Sisulu, and said that they both “put their lives at the service of our freedom”.
The family was greeted by a number of letters from all classes of people from around the globe who expressed their condolences.
His widow, Louise Asmal, stated that she was “stunned by the love and support the family received from everybody”.
Asmal was cremated on Saturday after the family decided that they wanted a private funeral.