The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Member of Parliament (MP) Advocate Hishaam Mohamed.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones, to his colleagues, former colleagues and comrades and all who knew him,” the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola said on Monday.
At the time of his death, Advocate Mohamed was a member of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services and representative of the African National Congress in Parliament.
Advocate Mohamed, who died on Monday, was also the Committee Whip.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the first courts in Khayelitsha and Nyanga/Phillipi in the Western Cape in 1998.
He was both a lawyer and an activist. His was a life dedicated to the struggle for freedom, justice and human rights.
“He was a hands-on and dedicated public servant and, later, public representative who was extremely active in his constituency and to whom many people turned for legal advice and assistance,” said the Minister in a statement.
As the Chairperson of the Southern Suburbs Legal Advice Centre in Grassy Park, he often provided legal assistance and advice on human rights to poor and vulnerable communities.
The Minister said he was soft-spoken and humble and served the people of South Africa with unwavering dedication.
"In all my interactions with Advocate Hishaam one got the sense that this was a man who had been mentored by some of the great stalwarts of our liberation struggle, such as the likes of Dullah Omar and Essa Moosa,” said Lamola. – SAnews.gov.za
