Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert, who died today aged 70, was a great guy. I first met him in 1974 in Cape Town when he was MP for Rondebosch for the then Progressive Party. My father, Alex Boraine, was the newly-elected MP for Pinelands. Twelve years later, they walked out of the minority Parliament together to form the Institute for a Democratic South Africa, Idasa, to promote dialogue between black and white South Africans. Perhaps the most well known of the talks took place in Dakar, Senegal, in 1987. I was fortunate to take part in one of the subsequent meetings with the ANC-in-exile, a discussion on future economic policy, that took place at Marly-le-Roy in Paris in 1989.
Van, as he was known, was a big guy in more ways than one. He didn’t suffer fools gladly. I will always remember his sharp intellect, his blunt questions, his sceptical grunts during discussions. He also was a great story teller. In his book The Other Side of History (Jonathan Ball, 2006), he relates a story about Ernest Malgas, an ANC activist from Port Elizabeth, at the meeting at Marly-le Roy: “At the reception that evening Ernie drew me aside and started telling me of a Robben Island experience. He said, ‘You know, Van, I was a cook on Robben Island.’ Steve Tshwete who was present said, ‘No Ernie, you cannot tell that story.’ Ernie said, ‘Never mind, he will understand.’ He continued, ‘There was a warder who was extremely cruel to us prisoners. One day he went to the mainland, and I cooked his dog.’ Steve could no longer contain himself; he said, ‘You know, Van, it was the best meal I had all the time I was in Robben Island.’ ‘Yes,’ said Ernie, ‘but do you remember when he came back we helped him for two days to look for his dog.’”
Go well, Van. We’ll miss you!
Van Zyl Slabbert, Alex Boraine and fellow South Africans in Paris, 1989. The late Ernest Malgas is in the middle
Van Zyl Slabbert with Alex Boraine and Essop Pahad, Marly-le-Roy, Paris, 1989
Jeremy Cronin, Joel Netshitenze, Trevor Manuel and Stone Sizane, Paris, 1989
