Major Figure in ending of Apartheid remembers David Ervine

Roelf Meyer, who in his role as Chief Negotiator for the National Party was intimately involved in the negotiations which saw an end to apartheid in South Africa, will give a talk on ‘The Courage of Leadership’ at the Skainos Centre, East Belfast. 

The venue is particularly significant as the Skainos Centre is situated on the next street over from where David Ervine was born and raised and is in the heart of theEast Belfastconstituency he represented at the Assembly between 1998 and 2007. 

As well as speaking about his past experiences of leadership in an internally divided society and discussing the present challenges for leaders, Roelf will present awards to 5 groups receiving support from the David Ervine Foundation, administered by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI). 

Jeanette Ervine, David’s widow, said: “As the David Ervine Foundation enters its 7th year, we are delighted to be able to give out funding to groups who are making a real difference in their communities acrossNorthern Ireland”. 

After practising law in Pretoria and Johannesburg, Roelf Meyer entered politics as a Member of Parliament in 1979; going on to hold many ministerial positions including having full ministerial portfolios for Defence and Constitutional Affairs between 1991 and 1996. 

He worked closely with the ANC’s Chief Negotiator Cyril Ramaphosa in talks which saw the first democratic elections inSouth Africaat the end of 1994. 

After the elections he continued the portfolio of Constitutional Affairs in the Cabinet of former President Nelson Mandela, resigning from active politics in 2000.

Roelf now acts as a consultant on various peace processes, having worked here inNorthern Irelandand across the world in places such asSri Lanka,Rwanda,Burundi, Kosovo andBolivia, as well as the Basque Region and theMiddle East. 

He serves on the Strategy Committee of the Project on Justice in Times of Transition inNew Yorkand held the Tip O’Neill Chair in peace studies at theUniversityofUlster,Northern Ireland, in 2001. 

Roelf will be inNorthern Irelandas part of wider visit and primarily for the International Peace Conference hosted by INCORE (International Conflict Research Institute) at theUniversityofUlster, and Rotary.  At the conference he will speak alongside Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, and the former Basque President Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu, among others. 

CFNI DirectorAvila Kilmurraysaid: “We are really excited to have a leading figure from the South African Peace Process with us here inBelfastto remember David Ervine. 

Roelf will be able to give an excellent insight into his role in the ending of apartheid, the challenges facingSouth Africain the aftermath of the historic peace accord and the challenges facing it today. 

“With our own peace deal, the Good Friday Agreement, celebrating 15 years since being signed there is no better time than now to learn from others dealing with the many issues of a post conflict society”.

In previous years, former PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde, philanthropist, and close friend of David Ervine, Tom Moran, ex-Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and Senator George Mitchell have delivered talks at the David Ervine Memorial event.          

Musical entertainment will be provided on the evening by the Feile Women’s Singing Group.