PRETORIA – President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed sadness over the passing of struggle veteran and former deputy minister of international relations and cooperation Ebrahim “Comrade Ebie” Ebrahim.
Ebrahim passed away yesterday, at the age of 85.
Ramaphosa has expressed condolences to “Comrade Ebie’s” spouse Shannon Ebrahim, to the family, friends and colleagues and to his comrades in the liberation movement.
Ramaphosa said: “I am saddened by the passing of a distinguished comrade and counsellor who devoted his life to the liberation of our country and the resolution of conflicts around the world.
“He was indeed ‘a gentle revolutionary’, whose personal modesty belied his courageous conviction and firm and principled outlook on life and global affairs.
“His bravery, resilience and commitment to peace and security around the world has made our country, our continent and the world a better place. He now deserves to rest in peace while we appreciate and build on his indelible legacy.”
Born on 1 July 1937, Ebrahim joined the liberation movement while still in his mid-teens and served the fight against apartheid throughout his life.
He was active in the Congress of the People Campaign which led to the adoption of the Freedom Charter in 1955 and joined Umkhonto weSizwe in 1961, following the banning of the ANC.
In 1964, he was listed as accused no 1 alongside 18 comrades in the Pietermaritzburg Sabotage Trial, which led to his imprisonment on Robben Island for 15 years.
Ebrahim Ebrahim went into exile in 1980 and, after liberation, became an MP and Member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC.
In August 1997, he was elected chairperson of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee and also became a member of the joint select committee on Intelligence.
Ebrahim resigned from Parliament in July 2002, to take up the position of the senior political and economic advisor to the deputy president.
From 2009 to 2014 he was deputy minister of international relations and cooperation and later served as a parliamentary counsellor in the Presidency.
IOL