31 December, 2011 – On behalf of our Founder, Chairperson, Trustees and Staff we wish to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ilse Naude, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 98.
“Tannie Ilse”, as Mr Nelson Mandela called her, was the widow of anti-apartheid activist Beyers Naude. They had been married for 64 years at the time of his death in 2004.
On the occasion of Dr Naude’s 80th birthday in 1995 Mr Mandela thanked the couple “for their sacrifice” – in giving up their privileged positions during apartheid in order to fight for democracy.
Ending his speech in Afrikaans he expressed the hope that South Africa would become the type of country for which they had struggled so hard and sacrificed so much.
Rest in peace, “Tannie Ilse”.
Achmat Dangor
Chief Executive
Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory