Two great men honoured
CAPE Town has lost two of its greatest sons:
Eliot Osrin: Lawyer, philanthropist and caring citizen. The Community Chest wish to add our condolences to the Osrin and Moosa families.
Many may not know the name Eliot Osrin. That is largely so because behind the scenes of much of the great charity work being done in this city was the ever-present hand and heart of the caring Eliot Osrin.
Osrin was a remarkable philanthropist. Jewish by faith, he was committed to everyone who helped the poor, irrespective of their own faith or lack thereof.
During his lifetime, Osrin, with the help of his vast network, raised millions for the good causes he found all over the country.
He set up many charitable trusts that would serve to go on in perpetuity to help the less fortunate.
At the Community Chest we were also fortunate to enjoy his generous philanthropy towards the over 3 000 agencies which we funded.
Osrin made a difference to many in his lifetime. He taught those with money how to leave a legacy. His own legacy lives on through the difference he made.
The Community Chest honours Osrin today. A true philanthropist, born in Mossel Bay in 1932, he made his life count. And he helped many others to make theirs count, too.
Judge Essa Moosa: A servant of human rights, Judge Moosa was a dedicated legal scholar and remained an ordinary servant of the people of South Africa all his life.
Serving the struggle and later the attorney for President Nelson Mandela, he served the way he lived: with dignity and respect for everyone.
Judge Moosa, along with former minister of justice Dullah Omar, served the cause of justice and freedom with exemplary dedication and dignity. His legendary pro-bono work on behalf of the liberation struggle is a critical part of the journey and history of the new South Africa.
Students and activists all over the country knew that his keen legal mind, his compassionate disposition and his dedication to South Africa were what they would encounter when they met with Essa Moosa, the attorney, to defend their cases under the restrictive apartheid and emergency laws.
Judge Moosa served this country because he believed in it and loved it. We honour his name and legacy today.