The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has remarked on the death of party stalwart and veteran Graeme Bloch, who passed away on Friday.

The ANC said Bloch had contributed to the downfall of apartheid and was an architect of South Africa’s new democracy. The party said his death marked the end of a revolutionary life that was dedicated to the freedom of South Africans.

“All freedom-loving people of South Africa will sorely miss his dedication to the goal of building a non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa,” the ANC said.

Bloch was senior researcher at Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection and a central figure in the National Education Crisis Committee and the United Democratic Front in the 1980s.

He was detained, harassed and arrested by the apartheid security forces for his involvement in the liberation struggle and was banned from 1976 to 1981.

“He will be remembered for his commitment to transformation, especially in the education sector. Among other things, he was a member of the University of Cape Town Council, served as Director on Lafarge Education Trust, and was on the Board of Equal Education. He has written and published widely on education, “ the party highlighted.

Bloch was visiting adjunct Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Public and Development Management School and he was Education Policy Analyst at the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

He also taught in the Education Faculty at the University of Western Cape and was Project Manager for youth development at the Joint Education Trust.