‘My greatest gratitude is being here at all’
Justice Edwin Cameron has hung his robe at the Constitutional Court following 25 years of service.
The highest court in the land held a special sitting on Tuesday to pay homage to Cameron.
In a heart warming farewell, Cameron expressed his gratitude for his time at the court and surviving HIV/Aids.
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"I started off, Chief Justice, by saying that my overwhelming feeling this morning is one of gratitude.
"My greatest gratitude has been indicated by one of the speakers is of course in being here at all," he said.
Cameron, an HIV activist who has lived with the virus since 1999, was lauded for his contribution towards the destigmatisation of HIV/Aids.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng described him as a “brave and bold man”.
“A brave and bold man, when HIV and Aids attracted stigma. He stood up and declared openly: ‘I am HIV positive’.
“He knew the attitude of South Africans at the time, because nobody had stepped out to prepare them that this is a condition like any other that requires medical attention. He could afford the anti-retrovirals, and therefore like many of us he could've chosen to mind his own business and care less about others. But not Edwin Cameron, he is not that type," said Mogoeng.