First democratic Serjeant-at-Arms dies

Cleinwreck was on hand to announce the historic entry of former President Nelson Mandela into the National Assembly Chamber in 1994.

In a statement, National Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete and Deputy Speaker, Lechesa Tsenoli, expressed their sadness at Cleinwerck’s passing.

Cleinwerck retired in January 2011, after 16 years as Serjeant-at-Arms in the NA.

“During this time, he announced former President Nelson Mandela’s first entry into the NA Chamber in 1994,” Parliament said in its statement. “In 1999 he again announced his (Mandela’s) procession out of the Chamber upon his retirement.”

According to the statement, members of the NA held Cleinwerck in “high esteem and expressed great respect and affection in their farewell speeches to him in November 2010 before his retirement”.

Speaking on behalf of the African National Congress at the time, veteran of the struggle for a democratic and non-racial South Africa, Andrew Mlangeni, reminded Members that the Serjeant-at-Arms “is the custodian of the Mace and the authority of the Speaker in the House”.

Mlangeni had also recalled that Cleinwerck had referred tongue-in-cheek to himself as the “chief bouncer of the National Assembly”.

This, Mlangeni had said, “was due to the fact that, during the period 1996 to 2010, he was called to action to escort Members from the precincts after they were ordered to withdraw from the Chamber after having disregarded the authority of the Chair”.

Cleinwerck was a founder member of the SA Serjeant-at-Arms Association and as a founder member of the Commonwealth Association of Serjeant-at-Arms for Africa he was elected chairperson in 2000.

Parliament extended its sincere sympathies to Cleinwerck’s family and friends and wished them strength during this sad time.