Pretoria - Former police commissioner Jackie Selebi was instrumental in mobilising the youth in the fight against apartheid, said Transport Minister Dipuo Peters at his funeral on Saturday.
"Through Comrade Jackie the SA Youth Congress (Sayco) was part of all the forums of the ANC... planning the demise of apartheid," she said at the NG Kerk in Moreleta Park, Pretoria.
"I'm standing here to represent the youth who took the baton [from Selebi]."
Selebi was central to the formation of Sayco while he was in exile.
Peters said Selebi made sure that the youth in South Africa worked together with the youth in exile.
Selebi had ensured that the youth organisations had enough resources in the form of money, "not small money", she said.
"[He was a] gallant and fearless freedom fighter."
Selebi died last Friday aged 64. He had reportedly suffered from diabetes and kidney problems.
He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment on 3 August 2010, for taking bribes from convicted drug dealer Glenn Agliotti.
The former head of Interpol started serving his sentence in
2011, after being found guilty of corruption in 2010. He was released from
Pretoria Central Prison on medical parole less than a year later.
- Family and friends of Jackie
Selebi are invited to share their memories and tributes, and to light a
candle for him, on his profile at Remembered.co.za.