Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Chief Whip Narend Singh says the late Frene Ginwala earned the respect of all political parties when the first democratic Parliament convened in 1994.
Singh was one of the MPs who paid tribute to Ginwala during a special joint sitting of Parliament at the Cape Town City hall. She passed away last month.
He says, “By the time we convened our first democratic Parliament on the 9th May 1994, Dr Ginwala had already earned the respect of every party that stepped into the Government of National Unity. Already she had lived a remarkable life.”
“Already she had a formidable life of academic achievements. Already he had served South Africa with every fibre of being. For the sake of our liberation, she had spent 30 years away from the soil where her heart was planted, ” Singh adds.
Unquestionable integrity
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Natasha Ntlangwini praised Ginwala for what she describes as her unquestionable integrity.
Ntlangwini says, “To her unquestionable integrity, her rock solid commitment to ethical governance, her intellectual depth, her fairness as Speaker of Parliament, Dr Ginwala provided all of us with her lifetime of examples or what a true servant of leadership this all of us should be.”
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor says Ginwala displayed the same qualities of the women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956.
Pandor says, “Honourable Chairperson, each year we as South Africans enjoy the privilege of celebrating the brave women of 1956, who boldly marched to the Union Buildings to demand an end to apartheid oppressive laws. Comrade Frene is of this character of women in that as a very young activist of the 60s, she was already underground organising safe houses for our leaders and cadres and working closely with President OR Tambo in exile, creating ANC offices and communications channels for the underground.”
Memorial service of former Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Frene Ginwala:
