Johannesburg: Essop Goolam Pahad, a veteran of the anti-apartheid movement of Indian descent and a former minister in the presidency, passed away. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed grief at his death. Pahad died in his sleep at the age of 84. Ramaphosa said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of the veteran Indian-origin political activist.
Pahad retired in 2008 after serving as a minister in Thabo Mbeki's administration from 1999 to 2008. In that position, he had a significant impact on the formulation of policies for the newly established democratic government, which President Nelson Mandela had established in 1994. “Essop Pahad was a thinker and strategist who brought his understanding of the human condition, injustice and inequality at the national and international level to bear on our transition to democracy and in introducing a democratic, non-aligned and activist South Africa to the global community”, Ramaphosa said.
Pahad will be remembered for his contributions to public life, his role in the fight against apartheid, and his support for closer links between India and South Africa, according to the Indian Consulate General in Johannesburg. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2015.