Kader Asmal: Politics in My Blood

Kader Asmal was one of the most respected senior statesmen in South Africa. He lived a rich and varied life, in all the twists and turns of which he displayed boundless energy, a sharp mind and deep commitment to human rights and democratic values. He has followed several careers, as a legal academic teaching at Trinity College Dublin where he became Dean of the Humanities Faculty and as a politician and leading member of the ANC, serving in the Mandela cabinet and the first Mbeki administration as Minister of Water Affairs and then as Minister of Education. He also played a crucial role in the drafting of South Africa's democratic constitution. He published numerous papers and articles and was the author and editor of several books. In his memoirs he revealed how his life was shaped, recalling the events in which he participated and provides an insider's view of the ANC in government.