On Monday, Heinrich Gerwel will for the first time celebrate his birthday without his beloved father.

As praises and tributes poured in for the late Professor Jakes Gerwel, who died at Netcare Kuils River Hospital in Cape Town yesterday morning following heart surgery, Heinrich spoke of his heartache at losing a "loving and caring" father.

The anti-apartheid activist and right-hand man of former president Nelson Mandela was 66.

Heinrich said his father had been sick for about three weeks.

"He had diabetes, he had high blood pressure. All those things weakened his heart," he said.

Heinrich said his mother, Phoebe, had become a pillar for the grief-stricken family. Gerwel's four grandchildren do not understand that their grandfather will not be coming home.

"[The grandchildren] are still living as if he has just gone away, we still need to deal with that."

President Jacob Zuma, former president Thabo Mbeki, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and many others paid tribute to Gerwel.

He was an academic, played a crucial role in the country's reconciliation after apartheid and was a director-general in South Africa's first democratic presidency .

Zuma said the country would be "eternally grateful to Gerwel for laying a strong administrative foundation concretising the new ethos of a free and non-racial South Africa".

Mbeki said today's young civil servants needed to study the lives of people like Gerwel to draw appropriate lessons in addressing the challenges of the civil service and the masses of the people it is meant to serve.

The ANC also praised Gerwel. It said his contribution to South Africa's liberation and transition to democracy would be remembered.

Heinrich said the family would remember him simply for his "humanity".

"It's difficult times but my father lived a full life. He made a great contribution not only to his family and those close but to South Africa and to the world at large.

He was a freedom fighter, non-racialist and a firm defender of the South African constitution," he said.

Written by: Philani Nombembe

• This article was published on http://www.timeslive.co.za.