The African National Congress moves without notice: That the House

1. notes with sadness the passing of Retail legend and Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman on Thursday 7 September 2023 at the age of 92; 
2. remembers Ackerman for his strong commitment to the consumer, to fight against discrimination and the monopoly on basic goods, and for the way he demonstrated his strong social responsibility;
3. recalls that he endorsed nonracialism in his stores and was among the business leaders who lobbied during the apartheid era for a move to democracy;
4. further recalls that even in the 1960s, he was determined to promote all employees to managerial positions, in defiance of apartheid laws which forbade it;
5. understands that in a piece written when he turned 90 in 2021, Ackerman acknowledged that SA had “enormous difficulties”, but he believed it was still a “sound country
6. believes our country has lost a brilliant patriot who always saw a positive future for South Africa; and
7. conveys deepest condolences to the Ackerman family and friends in the retail industry.