28 July 2010

It is with extreme shock and sadness that I have learned of the passing of the former Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and my former colleague Ms Cheryl Gillwald after a long battle with cancer.

The many tributes will record that Ms Gillwald was one the heroines of our struggle for liberation. She dedicated her entire life's work to building a South Africa based upon equity, the rule of law and social justice.

I had the opportunity to work alongside Ms Gillwald in Parliament for 12 years, from 1994 to 2006, and in Government, and I had great respect and admiration for her work ethic, skills and leadership. We express our gratitude for the major contribution she made to the lives of ordinary South Africans, both through her work as a Minister and through her efforts to improve the lives of women and children in communities across the country.

On behalf of the IFP, I would like to extend my sincerest and heartfelt condolences to the Gillwald family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. We wish them hope in the midst of sorrow and comfort in the midst of pain. May they find strength, solace and comfort in God.

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP

President of the Inkatha Freedom Party