Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, said South Africa ‘will always be grateful’ to the former speaker of the country’s first democratic Parliament, Dr Frene Ginwala.
Ginwala died on Thursday night at the age of 90, after suffering a stroke two weeks ago.
Ginwala: The head of one of the three arms of the state
Zondo stated that Ginwala, as the speaker of Parliament, presides over one of the three arms of the state, namely, Parliament.
“The Attorney General sends his condolences to the family and loved ones of the former speaker.
The people of South Africa will be grateful to Dr Ginwala for his great contribution in the fight against apartheid and the struggle for a democratic, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa,” Zondo’s office said in a statement.
Also read: Former speaker of parliament Dr Frene Ginwala dies
“We mourn the passing of Dr Frene Ginwala and celebrate his illustrious life and contribution to the freedom we enjoy today. We thank his family for sharing him with everyone in South Africa and beyond.
Also read: ‘An amazing patriot and leader’: The life and times of Dr Frene Ginwala
Ginwala’s contribution to South Africa
Ginwala made many contributions in various capacities to South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
Zondo stressed that during Ginwala’s tenure as speaker, our first democratic Parliament repealed several apartheid laws.
During his tenure as speaker, the country’s first democratic Parliament passed our Supreme Law, namely, the Constitution.
“The constitution that Dr. Ginwala helped for South Africa contains a Bill of Rights, provides for an independent Judiciary and forms South Africa as a democratic country founded on, among other things, the values of human dignity, the achievement of equality, the progress of the country. human rights and freedom, non -racism, non-sexism, the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.
For this, our country will always be indebted to Dr. Ginwala and many others.
Zondo said Ginwala joins many leaders of our country who fought for our freedom who have died and have abandoned constitutional democracy which we must protect at all times.
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