Steenhuisen pays tribute to Selfe: 'He is one of the unsung heroes of SA's democracy'

Source: EWN Traffic
Author: Lindsay Dentlinger

CAPE TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) stalwart and corruption whistleblower James Selfe has died.

The former veteran member of Parliament (MP) died on Tuesday afternoon, after battling illness since his retirement from Parliament in 2019.

Party leader John Steenhuisen hailed Selfe as a pioneer of opposition politics and for setting the standard for holding government accountable.

Selfe, the DA's first federal chairperson, was an integral part of the establishment of the party.

He started his political career in the 1970s as a researcher for the Progressive Federal Party and later the DA's forerunner, the Democratic Party.

Appointed to Parliament in 1994, Selfe served in the Constituent Assembly.

Over the years, he served on various portfolio committees, most notably Justice and Correctional Services.

Selfe was a central figure in unmasking several of the country's biggest scandals including the Zuma spy tapes, Nkandla, and Bosasa contracts.

Paying tribute to Selfe, Steenhuisen said: "James Selfe is one of the unsung heroes of South African democracy, having dedicated his entire life to the liberation of the South African people, and the betterment of our country as a newly-realised democracy."

Selfe is survived by his wife and three daughters.