Asmal died at Constantiberg MediClinic in Cape Town on Wednesday following a heart attack on Tuesday. He was 76 years old. As well as being South Africa's former Education Minister, he was also known as a "life-long defender of universal human rights and prominent champion of the South African constitution he had helped draft."

Despite the fact that he had long since retired from public life, Kadar Asmal was active until the end of his life, addressing a Youth Day meeting last week and speaking out vehemently  against the Protection of Information Bill - he wrote a letter supporting the Right2Know Campaign just last week, calling for the proposed 'secrecy bill' to be scrapped.

All at Portfolio Collection offer our sincere condolences to his wife Louise, his sons Rafiq and Adam, and two grandchildren, Oisin and Zoë.

Tributes for Kadar Asmal

President Jacob Zuma: “ He made a sterling contribution to the struggle for liberation. He will be remembered for his energy, forthrightness, efficiency and commitment to making this country a better place each day. He will also always be remembered for his passion for human rights for all.”

Desmond Tutu: " He served his people and his nation, without a thought of self-enrichment or aggrandisement. He added substance and vigour to whatever he did."

ANC statement: “We are deeply saddened by news of the passing of one of the movement’s foremost intellectual giants. The ANC salutes the sacrifices made by Comrade Kader, his family and his generation for what they endured for us to enjoy democracy and freedom."

DA leader Helen Zille: “Professor Asmal will be remembered for many things, but particularly for his scholarship and his contribution to entrenching constitutionalism in South Africa. He left Parliament on principle, refusing to vote for the abolition of the Scorpions."

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille: “Kader Asmal was a fearless fighter for freedom and human rights. Up until the last week of his life, he had been fighting for the rights of South Africans."

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Asmal had been a “lifelong fighter for freedom and justice”.