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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is shocked and saddened to hear of Heidi Holland's untimely death. A great host to all at her Mellville B&B and a person of considerable insight into the persona of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Ms. Holland, author of Dinner with Mugabe, was one of the serious democratic voices of our time.

When I put together the 2008 protest meeting against Mugabe's excesses at the University of Cape Town as part of the Ford Foundation funded Difficult Dialogues programme, Ms. Holland unhesitatingly joined the courageous panel of moral critics including Emeritus Archibishop Desmond Tutu and Dr Mamphela Ramphele.

Heidi stood firm on principles. Our greatest sympathy goes to her family and friends. South Africa has lost a warm host to the global family of progressive individuals who have, at one or another, passed through her culturally rich B&B in the heart of Johannesburg. The DA joins her larger community of friends in mourning her passing.