Dr Niel Barnard Dies At The Age Of 75
The first negotiator for a democratic South Africa, on behalf of the erstwhile South African government, former spy boss and first director-general of the Western Cape from 1994, Dr Niel Barnard has passed away.
According to a statement released by the family, Barnard died peacefully in Gansbaai in the Western Cape this morning after a long battle with cancer.
The 75-year-old was well-known for being the first representative of the South African state at the time, to meet with the then-banned ANC, represented by former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, about a peaceful transition to constitutional democracy.
He is survived by his wife, Engela, two sons and five grandchildren. The family has requested that their privacy be respected while they mourn his passing.
