UIM President, Neil de Beer dies after fighting cancer. Image: News24.
(The Post News)- United Independent Movement (UIM) President and former national security advisor to the late former President Nelson Mandela, Neil De Beer, has died at the age of 56 following a battle with cancer.
Reports state that the vocal politician and father of three was last spotted in public roughly three months ago, expressing gratitude to South Africans for their support during his time in hospital.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), in a statement, confirmed that he died this morning after losing the battle with cancer. The DA also conveyed its “deepest condolences” to UIM. The statement added that De Beer’s convictions and fearless personality made him a force to be reckoned with and a valuable partner to the Multi-Party Charter. For his role in bringing the Charter about, the DA will remember him fondly.
Neil de Beer’s Cancer Battle
UIM secretary-general Jacques Taljaard confirmed that De Beer had been battling colon cancer. The cancer eventually spread to his liver and lungs. According to Taljaars, De Beer’s condition got worse a month ago. He said that they were “hoping and praying” for him to recover; however, that was not the case. Taljaard said de Beer was a “cherished friend” whom he had known for 26 years of his adult life.
Moreover, Taljaard further said that when de Beer was with the people, he was at his happiest. Taljaard described him as someone who had a true affection for South Africans and said his death represents a considerable loss, especially in light of the direction the country is heading in.
The UIM expressed their condolences, saying that his legacy is determined by the strength he instilled in those who followed him and the hearts he touched, not by accolades. They said that they are grateful for the lessons learned, the fun exchanged, and the priceless gift of his leadership.
De Beer’s political path was defined by a striking change in his loyalty. He started out in 1987 with the South African Defence Force (SADF) and was sent to Angola during the “border war.” By the following year, he had broken ranks with the apartheid security police and aligned himself with the ANC’s armed wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), serving as an intelligence officer.
De Beer left the ANC in 2020, criticizing the party for losing its way and saying that Mandela would not have supported its current direction. That same year, he established the UIM; initially, it was a civil society movement that later became a registered political party, and he had served as its president since its founding.
McKenzie Pays Tribute to Neil de Beer’s
Patriotic Alliance leader and Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie was among the first to honor him, saying, “I will never forget your sharp analysis, especially regarding the party I lead.”
McKenzie said, “You praised where praise was due and criticized when we fell short,” adding that de Beer’s life was lived fully and described his death as a “blow” to the nation. According to McKenzie, the UIM president still had a lot to offer.
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