Riyaz Patel
President Cyril Ramaphosa has described ANC veteran Ben Turok, who passed away Monday aged 92, as a “humble patriot of our nation who made made enormous personal sacrifices for South Africans to attain Freedom.”
“Personally and politically, Professor Turok conducted himself strictly in accordance with the values of our democratic Constitution and made invaluable contributions to debates on questions of national importance.
“He leaves a big void and an equally formidable legacy. He will be greatly missed,” said Ramaphosa.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of an outstanding yet humble patriot of our nation.”
Professor Turok was the only surviving member of the original underground leadership of the South African Communist Party.
He was arrested in 1962 under the Explosives Act and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in Pretoria before being placed under house arrest.
He fled South Africa without his family and spent
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