‘TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MANY’
Family expresses heartfelt gratitude for all the messages of condolences and support
WE, AS THE Mohamed family, would like to express our sincere gratitude to the family, friends and associates of our dear brother, advocate Hishaam Mohamed MP, for all the messages of condolence and support this week.
Hishaam passed away from a heart attack on Monday, August 24, 2020, at the age of 55.
We are still devastated by his sudden passing and are battling to process what has happened. Hishaam was a father figure to us all, following the death of our dad Abdullah Sheikh Mohamed, in 2002.
We have also been dealing with the recent death of our sister Shanaaz, following a long illness, while our mother Hamida Mohamed passed away in 1990.
Hishaam was a giant to us as his family. We would consult with him first before making any major personal or work decisions, and the respect went both ways – despite his position in society, he would often seek advice from us as his siblings on personal and work matters.
He was a voice of reason, always providing sage words when it was most needed. He was fiercely protective of his family, especially his siblings, wife Rachmat and children Imraan, Haneem and Uzair.
Hishaam also had a dry sense of humour, and enjoyed sometimes being the butt of jokes within his family circle. He was also the ultimate professional in his work environment and changed the face of justice in South Africa. He had set the example as the regional head of Justice and Constitutional Development in the Western Cape for more than 20 years, and then as an ANC member of Parliament since the 2019 elections.
He has been hailed this week as a “people’s advocate”, “champion for the poor”, “human rights activist” and “servant of the people”, and all those descriptions certainly ring true.
His main purpose was to serve the people, the most vulnerable in society (particularly women and children), in the hope of making a positive impact in their lives, whether it was through effectively implementing and creating legislation, providing access to justice, or assisting with legal or private matters for more than three decades – leaving an indelible mark on society as a whole.
Hishaam took up the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide by creating tools such as information videos, free legal services and advocacy programmes.
He also hosted soup kitchens and organised food parcels and sanitary care-packs for people in the poorest areas of the southern suburbs, like Lotus River, Parkwood, Ottery, Overkamp/Cafda, New Horizons, Phumlani Village, Lavender Hill, Masiphumelele, Vrygrond, Ocean View, Westlake and Simon’s Town (Redhill) during the Covid-19 lockdown.
All of that, of course, came following the birth of a democratic South Africa. Hishaam had played his part in the Struggle during the turbulent 1980s, as a high school and varsity student, where he was jailed by the apartheid police on a number of occasions for leading protests during the State of Emergency and other periods.
He touched so many lives across the spectrum – whether you were living in a shack in a township or a mansion in Constantia, he would treat you in the same humble, meticulous manner.
At this point, we would like to thank some of the individuals, organisations and groups for their words of comfort over these past few days:
● Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
● ANC
● Speaker of Parliament Thandi Modise
● Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo
● Acting Secretary to Parliament Baby Tyawa
● ANC chief whip in Parliament Pemmy Majodina
● Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
● Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola
● Justice and Correctional Services Deputy Minister John Jeffery
● Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille
● ANC MP Faiez Jacobs
● ANC MP Maurencia Gillion
● ANC Western Cape
● ANC Western Cape interim provincial committee convenor Lerumo Kalako
● ANC Western Cape interim provincial committee coordinator Ronalda Nalumango
● ANC Western Cape interim provincial committee member Ebrahim Rasool
● ANC MPL Muhammad Khalid Sayed
● ANC MPL Cameron Dugmore ● ANC Western Cape member of the legal monitoring task team Joy van der Heyde
● ANC Dullah Omar Region
● ANC Dullah Omar Region chairperson Xolani Sotashe
● ANC Dullah Omar Region REC member Hanif Loonat
● ANC Ward 65 and Southern Suburbs Parliamentary constituency office
● Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation
● Executive chairman of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings and Independent Media Dr Iqbal Survé
● Progressive Professionals Forum president Kashif Wicomb
● Western Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai
● EFF MP Nazier Paulsen
● EFF MP Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi
● DA MP advocate Glynnis Breytenbach
● Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa
● University of the Western Cape ● Southern Suburbs Legal Advice Centre
● Former public protector Professor Thuli Madonsela
● Director of legal services for the City of Cape Town Glenda Jeffries
● Advocate William Booth
● Judicial Officers Association of South Africa
● Congress of South African Trade Unions
● Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union
● South African Democratic Teachers’ Union
● Owner of Mr Cheap Abduragmaan Mohamed
● Western Province Rugby Football Union president Zelt Marais
● United Coalition for Sport and Community-based Organisations
● Enough South Africa
● Women of Hope
● International Association of Women Judges
● Artscape Theatre
● Awqaf South Africa
We also acknowledge the thousands of messages and calls of condolence and support received from across South Africa and other parts of the world, and apologise for any omissions. We thank the media and commentators for their coverage and tributes as well.
Hishaam truly lived up to his public titles of advocate and honourable (as an MP). May his legacy be felt across the length and breadth of Mzansi. |
“His main purpose was to serve the people, the most vulnerable in society (particularly women and children)