South Africa just lost a giant.
These words, and many similar phrases, echoed and resounded all over the internet and social media last weekend in the wake of heavyweight political activist Neil De Beer’s death.
Last week, De Beer, a formidable figure in the landscape of South African politics, an old-school crusader, a champion for the truth and rule of law, lost his four-year battle with cancer.
His passing was met with widespread mourning across the country, leaving those who knew him reeling and devastated.
But who exactly is the enigmatic political titan that was Neil De Beer?
FROM SOLDIER TO DISSIDENT
Neil De Beer’s journey was shaped by struggle and transformation, and marked by unwavering courage and conviction in his pursuit of truth and justice.
Born in 1968 in Stellenbosch, at age 19, he was conscripted into the South African Defence Force and deployed to Angola in 1987.
Within a year, he defected from the apartheid security apparatus to join Umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC’s armed wing, becoming one of the few (white) South Africans to make such a dramatic ideological shift – especially at such a young age.
FROM DISSIDENT TO FREEDOM FIGHTER
In later interviews, De Beer explained that while in the army, he began to see the injustice of the system and joined the struggle against apartheid. He pointed to a pivotal moment during an interrogation, when his prisoner told him, “You can kill me…but after me comes a million. This is not about race, this is about dignity.”
This encounter and revelation triggered De Beer’s break from the apartheid state and commitment to liberation.
After the fall of apartheid and the ANC coming to power, Neil served as national security adviser to President Nelson Mandela, a role that rooted him deeply in South Africa’s democratic transition. “I fought for liberation and drank the Oros that was served by Nelson Mandela,” he later said, reflecting on his journey.
However, after 32 years as a card-carrying member of the ANC, his disillusionment with the direction the leadership was taking prompted him to break from the party.
A REMARKABLE POLITICAL JOURNEY, MARKED BY COURAGE AND CONVICTION
In 2020, Neil De Beer founded the United Independent Movement (UIM), a civil society movement that morphed into a political party, “deeply committed to the well-being and prosperity of the South African people.”
The UIM’s stated mission is to “bridge the divide between government and citizens, with the aim of transforming South Africa into a center of excellence characterized by world-class service delivery.”
As the president of the UIM, Neil was a force to be reckoned with, and his convictions made him a valuable partner to the Multi-Party Charter.
His commitment to justice was unwavering. He believed in fighting for what was right, even if it meant standing alone. “Justice is the cornerstone and truth will follow,” he often said, encapsulating his philosophy.
FIGHTING THE GOOD (AND DANGEROUS) FIGHTS
Through his unapologetic commentary and fearless critiques, Neil and his party held those in power accountable, never shying away from speaking truth to those who lived by lies.
Some of his and the UIM’s more high-profile battles include:
CONDEMNING CABINET RESHUFFLING ‘ON SA’S TITANIC’
In 2022, De Beer controversially called the newly re-elected president of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, “The captain of South Africa’s Titanic.” At the time, he also said, “The ANC was once, under Nelson Mandela, a disciplined organisation. Now it is a true revelation of greed, factionalism, and indeed dog-eats-dog.”
De Beer said Ramaphosa’s reshuffling of his ANC cabinet will be “a reshuffling of old horses to the top stable.”
He added that “the only sound South Africans now hear is the rhetoric of load shedding, state capture, and the recent Phala Phala.”
DRAGGING ESKOM AND SA GOVT TO COURT
Early 2023 was a busy time, politically, for Neil.
On 13 January 2023, De Beer announced that his party, the UIM, was taking President Cyril Ramaphosa, Eskom, the National Energy Regulator (NERSA), and the Minister of Energy Gwede Mantashe to the Constitutional Court.
De Beer said this decision was taken because “the poorest of the poor can no longer get electricity. The rich will buy more generators, while the poor in this country have no fight against the circus at Eskom.”
“We will not sit on our hands and let the country collapse under crime and economically”, he said.
In De Beer’s opinion, “No other political party wants to take this fight on because it is dangerous.”
”But I am not scared”, he added. “I don’t care how many death threats you give me. We, the people, will keep you accountable.”
“It is time we get up and take back the country”, he said.
CONTESTING THE ANTI-TERRORISM BILL
That same January in 2023, De Beer’s UIM joined other political parties in contesting the ANC government’s amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
Neil believed that, under this Bill, South Africa would be a dictatorship, not a democracy.
“We will no longer have freedom of speech, and they can throw us in jail any time we speak the truth – especially regarding the wrongs in this country”, he said.
He stated that “there are various segments in this new Bill that are unconstitutional and take away our democracy. And we cannot allow it.”
He added, “It is meant to silence people like me.”
SLAMMING THE GOVT’S ‘STATE OF DISASTER’ AGENDA
In February 2023, after president Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that there were talks of an Eskom ‘State of Disaster’ at the ANC’s National Executive in January, Neil De Beer accused the ANC of using the Eskom debacle to loot the state.
“Cyril Ramaphosa wants to declare a state of disaster; he is talking about unity, family, biting the bullet, getting through the problems of this country, and solving the energy crisis. We are not listening to you anymore”, De Beer said.
“You are threatening the country with a state of emergency because your government failed to produce power. A state of emergency again gives you and your cabal in the cabinet the right to make decisions on your own without the consent of parliament.”
De Beer also slammed opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, for “allowing Ramaphosa to do whatever he wanted.”
“Ramaphosa’s cabinet needs a state of emergency, not the country”, De Beer said.
A RELENTLESS, FEARLESS VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS
In 2023, Neil De Beer started co-hosting the Sunday afternoon BizNews show with journalist Chris Steyn.
Boldly speaking out on corruption, ineffective governance, and political hypocrisy, Neil’s segments gradually garnered a sizeable audience and became required viewing for their unapologetic stance.
Neil’s commentary was not just about criticizing those in power; it was also about giving voice to the voiceless. He highlighted the struggles of the common man, the failures of the government, and the injustices of the system.
“My dream and my request and prayer is that we find the South Africa that we all truly believe it can be”, he said, encapsulating his vision for the country in one episode.
“This country cannot be changed by politicians. This country can only be changed by you”, he said in another.
Even as illness weighed on him, De Beer continued to appear weekly on BizNews’s Sunday special. “He turned up regularly, even when he was in excruciating pain,” noted Steyn.
A NATION MOURNS HIS SUDDEN TRAGIC LOSS
On 30 August last week, the mighty Neil De Beer finally succumbed to his four-year struggle with colon cancer.
He was 56.
UIM VP, Fatima Abdool, was among the first to break the tragic news to the public. In a video posted on social media, she solemnly announced, “Neil has been battling cancer since 2021, and today, he has lost the battle.”
“He was a man of truth, a man of integrity, respect, compassion…and a VERY resilient person”, she said. “We will miss him…for the rest of our lives, because he has impacted our lives forever.”
What followed is a flood of tributes from the public, political parties and politicians, as well as news and social media outlets revering Neil and his legacy.
Among them…
JACQUES TALJAARD (UIM SECRETARY GENERAL)
“Neil was as human as a person can possibly be. You all heard it when he spoke. He wore his heart on his sleeve. At his core, Neil was a patriot, a man who loved his country. A true South African.
He bridged ideological divides, championed democratic renewal, and remained a people’s person until the end. Neil never gave up hope. He lit fires in a lot of people’s hearts.
I don’t think there will ever be anyone like Neil ever again.”
ACDP (POLITICAL PARTY)
“Neil was a man who, though often misunderstood, was never misled – a rough diamond whose integrity and tenacity shone through even the darkest of times.
He fought corruption on every platform, always championing justice and transparency. His was a voice that called out for unity, hope, and a future founded on principle.
He will be remembered as a true son of the soil – a man whose fortitude, courage, and vision enriched our nation.”
RENALDO GOUWS (PODCASTER & ACTIVIST)
“It’s times like these we ask, ‘Why do the good die young?’ His life was a testament to courage, conviction, and an unyielding love for our nation.
Neil was a fearless voice for change. Inspiring countless South Africans to believe in a better future.
Above all, Neil was a beacon of hope.”
CHRIS WYATT (RET. US COLONEL & ACTIVIST)
“We pay tribute to someone that many people loved, many people hated, but you have to respect the man for being who he was. And he made no apologies for it.
I will miss the irrepressible spirit, the love of South Africa, the enthusiasm, the commitment to improving lives and the friendship we shared for the brief period I knew him. Neil’s passing will sadden many, thrill a few, but only the dishonest will claim he did not make an impact.
The passing of Neil Beer is a tragic moment for many South Africans. A wonderful human being whose loss makes South Africa a poorer place.”
CHRIS STEYN (BIZNEWS PRESENTER AND JOURNALIST)
“It is easy to tell people to ‘Speak Truth to Power’…until you have done it – and paid the price. Rarely is there a man of substance who would be willing to do so, despite threats to his life.
That was Neil de Beer: Touching the untouchables. Speaking truth to those who live by the lie.
In a country with dwindling accountability and justice, he was there to remind the corrupt of their sins, the incompetent of their failures, the politicians of their betrayals.
He moved in the ill-lit rooms behind the podium of rhetoric, witnessed the perjury of election promises, and saw the ideologues at their worst.
Neil de Beer’s death is not just the passing of a man, but the passing of a piece of the history of his country.”
ROB HERSOV (ENTREPRENEUR & ACTIVIST)
“Neil De Beer was a brother in arms to me. I saw a man with real courage. He was not going to give up; he was fighting to the end. All of us saw that. Neil’s legacy will live on, inspiring others to stand up for what is right and fight for justice.”
In his tribute to De Beer, Hersov quoted a lyric from British supergroup Queen that he felt defined Neil:
“It’s been no bed of roses. No pleasure cruise. I consider it a challenge before the whole human race.
And I ain’t gonna lose.”
WHAT DO YOU KNOW OR THINK OF NEIL DE BEER AND HIS POLITICAL LEGACY?
Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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