Doyen of South Africa freedom struggle, Meer, dead

Meer, popularly known as IC, was buried at the Brook Street cemetry in the city after a service at the Grey Street mosque.

Scores of dignitaries, including government and political leaders, attended the funeral to pay their last respects. Among those present were Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, leader of the ANC Womens’ League, ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada, who spent 25 years on Robben Island with Mandela, Indian High Commissioner to South Africa Harsh Bhasin and the Indian Consul in Durban Mysore Lokesh.

Former President Nelson Mandela had called on Meer just a day before he died.

"Meer not only contributed to the freedom struggle but was also an authority on India-South Africa relations and Mahatma Gandhi," Kathrada told PTI.

"I knew him since early 1940s when he was studying at the University of the Witwatersrand with Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. Although he was elder than us he always showed a great deal of patience with us – the young militants", he said.

This friendship lasted a lifetime and Mandela duly recognised Meer when he was released from prison in 1990. He invited Meer to accompany him on tours to Europe and India and made him one of his chief speech writers.

After the first democratic elections in 1994, Meer was elected to the Kwazula-Natal provincial Parliament – a position he held until his death.