Neil de Beer has died after a battle with cancer.
Neil de Beer/Facebook
UIM president Neil de Beer died in the early hours of Saturday morning.De Beer,who defected from the apartheid security police in 1988 to join uMkhonto we Sizwe,has been critical of the government.The UIM confirmed his passing on Saturday morning,describing him as “a people’s person” whose legacy lay in the lives he touched.
United Independent Movement (UIM) president and former national security advisor to Nelson Mandela,Neil de Beer,has died following a battle with cancer.
He died in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The outspoken politician and father of three was last seen publicly about three months ago,when he thanked South Africans for their support during his hospital stay.
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A dramatic shift in allegiance marked De Beer’s political journey.
He began his career in 1987 with the former South African Defence Force (SADF) and was deployed to the “border war” in Angola.
A year later,he defected from the apartheid security police to join the ANC’s armed wing,uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK),where he worked as an intelligence operative.
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UIM secretary-general Jacques Taljaard confirmed that De Beer had colon cancer,which later spread to his liver and lungs.
“About a month ago,things took a turn for the worse. We had been hoping and praying that he would pull through,but unfortunately,that did not happen,” Taljaard said.
“I have known him for 26 years of my adult life,and he was a dear friend.”
De Beer left the ANC in 2020,saying the party had lost its way and that Mandela would not have supported its current state.
In the same year,he founded the UIM,a civil society movement which was later registered as a political party. He has been serving as its president since its inception.
“He was happiest among the people,” Taljaard said.
“He was truly in love with South Africans,and his passing is a major loss,especially given the direction the country is taking.”
In a tribute,the UIM said:
His legacy is not measured in accolades,but in the warmth of the hearts he touched and the strength he gave to those who followed him. We are grateful for the laughter shared,the lessons learned and the precious gift of his leadership.
In recent years,De Beer became known for his sharp and often blunt criticism of government and political leaders.
Patriotic Alliance leader and Sports,Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie was among the first to pay tribute.
“I will never forget your sharp analysis,particularly about the party I lead,” he said.
“You praised where praise was due and criticised when we fell short. Your life was fully lived,and your death is a blow to South Africa,you still had so much to offer.”
Funeral details have not yet been announced.
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