APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condoled Namibians on the death of President Hage Geingob due to cancer on Sunday.
Geingob, aged 82, passed away at a Windhoek hospital while undergoing treatment for cancer.
“Today South Africa joins the people of our sister state Namibia in mourning the passing of a leader, patriot and friend of South Africa,” Ramaphosa said in a statement on Sunday.
He added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Geingob family and the people of Namibia who have lost an outstanding leader in a year in which Namibia, like South Africa, is due to hold elections.”
Ramaphosa said he was deeply saddened at this time as he reflected on the privilege he had as recently as October 2023 to be hosted by Geingob and his wife on a working visit to Namibia.
“During the visit, we committed our two countries to even closer partnership, inspired in great measure by President Geingob’s passionate conviction about our shared future as nations and greater opportunities and prosperity for citizens on both sides of the Orange River (which borders the two countries),” he said.
He described Geingob as a towering veteran of Namibia’s liberation struggle from colonialism and apartheid.
The late leader was also greatly influential in the solidarity that the people of Namibia extended to the people of South Africa “so that we could be free today,” Ramaphosa said.
NM/jn/APA