Speaker, Dr Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert was a true patriot and a son of the soil, who had a passionate love for his country and closely followed the trials of the new democratic order that he helped to foster.
He will always be remembered as the progressive voice for change during the dying days of apartheid - someone who possessed the foresight and courage to seize the moment in bringing together members of the old regime and exile liberation movements at the historic Dakar meeting.
This meeting is widely recognised as being instrumental in fostering the conditions for our negotiated transition to occur. All South Africans owe him a depth of gratitude for the principled stance he took in all the various positions he occupied throughout his life.
On a more personal level, Van was my old friend who was always willing to share his political advice and experiences with me. He loved to debate with me about his pet topic Afrikaner versus Afrikaan. Eventually he wrote a good book about it.
He was a walking encyclopaedia. I often relied on him for quality advice. More than all of this, he was very firm on principle and really stood by what he believed in. His voice and presence will certainly be missed by all of us in the new, democratic South Africa.
The ID would also like to offer its sincerest condolences to Van Zyl Slabbert's family and friends during this difficult period. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you. [Applause.]