Farewell 'Oom Bey'
September 07, 2004 Edition 1
By the Editor
Today we mourn the passing of another great South African, Beyers "Oom Bey" Naude, who did his share of the spadework that prepared the ground for our democracy to take root and flourish.
Naude chose to swim against the current when it was much easier to go with the flow. For that he paid a price - ostracism from his Afrikaner volk - but earned deep respect from black people who understood the cost of his opposition to apartheid, including a seven-year banning order.
Naude played an enormous role on a number of levels: he showed the world that not all white Afrikaners supported apartheid; he inspired young white people to follow his lead; and he challenged Christians to recognise that apartheid was in conflict with the teachings of their faith.
Above all, he preached justice, peace and reconciliation.
Naude's public rejection of the racial policies of his church - which defrocked him - and the National Party elicited a bitter reaction from the Broederbond, from which he had resigned. The Afrikaner press branded him a traitor.
In 1994 he witnessed South Africa's first democratic elections and finally made peace with the NGK. Delegates to the NGK synod voted almost unanimously in support of a motion which admitted that the church had disregarded the prophetic witness of, among other people, Naude. When Naude and his wife, Ilse, attended the synod to accept their apology, he received a standing ovation.
As a nation we should pray that when the time comes for good men and women to take a stand against whatever evil may rear its head in future, we are not found wanting for leaders of the calibre of Beyers Naude who are prepared to speak the truth regardless of the consequences.
