The late former South African Council of Sport (Sacos) president Frank van der Horst has been described as a “fearless fighter for the emancipation of the oppressed and downtrodden”.
Van der Horst passed away at the age of 86 in Cape Town the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Van der Horst was the president of the non-racial sport federation Sacos from 1983 to1988. Together with leaders such as Norman Naidoo, Hassan Howa, Morgan Naidoo and Joe Ebrahim, Van der Horst fought for the Apartheid government through sport.
Sacos, which was established in 1973, fought against racial segregation in South African sport and campaigned for equal access to facilities and opportunities for athletes.
President Cyril Ramaphosa offered condolences to the family of anti-apartheid activist on Wednesday, saying South African sport is now richer because of the legacy left behind by Van der Horst and Sacos.
“The passing of Frank van der Horst makes us recall an era of grassroots, non-racial and inter-sectoral resistance to apartheid, and international support for our struggle,” Ramaphosa said.
“Frank van der Horst made a crucial contribution as Sacos president to the sustained political pressure faced by the apartheid system in its closing decade.
“Today, South African sport continues to benefit from Frank van der Horst’s and Sacos’ legacy in the form of administrators who played their sport under the Sacos banner and now lead sports development in our country as well as federations and teams who are welcome throughout the world.
“Sacos worked closely with civic organisations, youth movements, trade unions and underground liberation structures on numerous campaigns and protests. Sacos resisted South Africa’s participation in international sport with only white athletes.”
The Remembering Sacos Committee Western Cape also paid tribute to Van der Horst following his long association with the former non-racial sports movement.
“Frank van der Horst was a fearless activist and fighter for the emancipation of the oppressed and downtrodden during the days of Apartheid and continued his struggle for the still oppressed and marginalised citizens of South Africa after the negotiated settlement of 1994,” they said in a statement.
“He was a fierce proponent of non-racialism and his involvement in the worldwide campaign for non-racialism in sport and society contributed to the expulsion of racist South African sports organisations from international sports federations.
“A real icon has fallen and he will be sorely missed by the many who followed in his footsteps.”
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