Meeting Albie Sachs in Aberdeen. The University of Aberdeen celebrated the career of a human rights activist and lawyer on Thursday July 4th 2013 by making him an honorary graduate. Justice Albert Louis Sachs, a human rights activist and former Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, was honoured. As a law student at the University of Cape Town, Justice Sachs took part in the Defiance of Unjust Laws Campaign and was detained by the security services twice. An attempted assassination in 1988 led to the loss of his right arm and the sight in one eye. ‘Albie’ Sachs returned to South Africa in 1990 and devoted himself to the preparations for a new democratic Constitution for the country. In 1994 he was appointed by the then president Nelson Mandela to serve the newly-formed constitutional court. Justice Sachs said, “I am elated to receive this degree, I feel connected. I came to Aberdeen in the late 60’s or early 70’s when in exile, for an anti-apartheid meeting and I remember it was here that I had the best fish and chips I have had in my life.” (Interview with Press & Journal) I drove the Judge and his family around Aberdeen for about an hour and we discussed The ‘Black Sash’ (my grand-mother, Ruth Foley was a founding member); The Secret War and how he was blown up in a car bomb in Mozambique and the Zimbabwe ‘land-grab’ debacle. ‘Albie’ Sachs sat in session when they deemed ZANU-PF’s expropriation of land without due compensation, as ‘un-constitutional’!! He said, “Alan, don’t give up hope – you may well be very surprised if the affected farmers get compensation or even a return to your land. Furthermore, Mr. Mandela and I never gave up, and you should not either.” Mr. Mandela was in hospital at the time in Pretoria and very ill with a lung infection – we discussed Madiba’s great influence in global politics. I apologized for him becoming disabled and he signed my taxi book and shook my hand with his left. As a Morkel, I am typically a Springbok supporter (ten rugby Springboks plus many Proteas / Boks in the cricket teams of SA. The Sachs family support The All Blacks. We laughed and left on good terms. Buy his books – they are a great read. AA Morkel (Aberdeen – July 2013)
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 07:36:01 +0000