Former Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chairman James Self has died at the age of 68 after a long illness.
Selfe served as chairman of the party's Federal Council for nearly 20 years until he stepped down in 2019.
He worked as a researcher for the Progressive Federal Party, the DA's predecessor, from 1979.
Mr Selfe was elected to South Africa's first democratic parliament in 1994 and served as a member of parliament until his retirement in 2021.
He chaired the portfolio committee on justice and correctional matters and was president of the DA's federal council for almost two decades until he stepped down in 2019.
Meanwhile, Democratic Party leader John Steenhuisen confirmed the news and praised Selfe as a pioneer in opposition politics.
“The Democratic Alliance mourns the death of James Self, a stalwart of the party who passed away late this afternoon. He was in many ways a pioneer of opposition politics in South Africa, as he was one of the first politicians to do so, and led South Africa to a vibrant democracy where the opposition served as society's ultimate watchdog. ,” Steenhuisen says.
🕊️A dedicated servant of the people and defender of democracy. The DA mourns the passing of former DA Federal Council Chairperson, James Self.
James served in a variety of roles and was at the forefront of many of the victories that shaped our nation. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/HqNpAV86SF
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 21, 2024