A humble warrior

As the country mourns Theo-Ben Gurirab, many have reflected on his humility, saying he always made time for friend and foe.

Gurirab is being remembered as a peacemaker and a gentle soul, who gave his best whenever he was assigned a task.

Former South African foreign affairs minister Pik Botha said it was merely “by the grace of God” that he managed to become friends with the late Gurirab.

Botha, who served in the last apartheid government to govern both South Africa and Namibia, said he shed a tear when he heard about Gurirab's passing on Saturday in a Windhoek hospital.

“We met as enemies, but the grace of God brought us together as friends,” he said.

Botha said they shared deeply spiritual conversations, and even discussed how, as political leaders, they would have to account after death for the things they had done.

Botha told Namibian Sun that Gurirab's passing has pained him enormously.

“If I look at the wars taking place today and how people fail to realise that even people on the enemy's side share the same ethical values as them, it pains me. Ben and I became intimate friends, we shared thoughts about the meaning of life. Now that he has died I will go to Namibia and sit in the desert and thank it for giving me a friend and that this friendship could produce green leaves,” he said.

Botha served as foreign minister up to the end of apartheid and played a significant role in Namibia gaining its independence from South Africa - an independence Gurirab played a significant part in achieving.

Liberation struggle stalwart Libertine Amathila, who spoke to Namibian Sun from her farm where the mobile network is extremely poor, said: “I will have to say a few words.”

She related with laugher how she and Gurirab had been classmates at Augustineum College.

“I will remember him as one of the most hardworking people and an absolutely wonderful person. He did a lot for this country's liberation struggle. He was an exceptional diplomat,” she said.

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani tweeted that the Namibian nation has undisputedly lost an iconic statesman of rare versatility.

“I commiserate with his wife Joan and the family, President Hage Geingob and the Swapo Party on the immense loss. A rare leader who both knew boundaries of friendship and an adversary, we were both,” he said.

Former secretary-general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Anders Johnson, described Gurirab as a “towering figure” within the African liberation movement, who always stood up for those in need.

“His solidarity with others was unfailing and he was always willing to give a sympathetic hearing to those who like himself were fighting for respect for their rights. Theo-Ben Gurirab was a fervent believer in multilaterism,” he said.

Dantagob Gurirab said he will remember his father's unwavering commitment to the country's liberation struggle.

“It was such an inspiring life to be around. Often children are taught about greatness from a distance and taught about historical figures. All of my siblings, we realised how fortunate we are to actually have been growing up in the presence of greatness. It is that which has driven us in our lives,” he said.

Dantagob said his father was a traditional man who loved his pap and vleis, but in later years he had to cut down on red meat for health reasons.

“Like any Namibian, he enjoyed traditional meat. My father was an avid reader; he really, really pressed upon us to read,” he shared.

Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba said Namibians will forever be indebted to Gurirab for the sacrifices he made leading up to Namibia's liberation from apartheid South Africa.

“Although we mourn today, we should at the same time celebrate the wonderful life that Gurirab lived. It was a life of purpose and a life of meaning. We learnt so much from him during the liberation struggle,” said an emotional Pohamba.

JEMIMA BEUKES