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It is with the greatest sorrow that I have learned of the untimely death of Professor Jakes Gerwel.   

Prof Gerwel was a steadfast and principled opponent of apartheid and a leading champion of our non-racial constitutional democracy. He made a constructive contribution to higher education, first as Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape and subsequently as Chancellor of Rhodes University.  

He was a close and trusted advisor to Nelson Mandela during and after the constitutional negotiations between 1990 and 1994. However, his greatest role was probably as Director-General in the Office of President during Nelson Mandela’s presidency. In this capacity he played an important role in managing the transition to non-racial constitutional democracy.

Subsequently Prof Gerwel served with distinction in a number of leadership posts - including Chairman of Media24, IDASA and the Human Sciences Research Council.

Prof Gerwel was also a friend of Afrikaans and took a special interest in its continuing use as an academic language.

Notwithstanding our different political origins, we became good friends. I - and all those who knew Jakes Gerwel - will miss him and will continue to value the enormous contribution that he has made to our new society.