Mulroney given South Africa’s highest honour for his tireless effort to get Mandela released and to end apartheid

Canada’s 18^th Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, will receive South Africa’s highest honour for his tireless work in pressuring South Africa to free Nelson Mandela from prison, and to end racial segregation.

Cassius Lubisi, South Africa’s chancellor of national orders, announced the recipients on the weekend. He noted in a statement that Mr. Mulroney is receiving the award “for his exceptional contribution to the liberation movement of South Africa.”

“His steadfast support for the release of Nelson Mandela and for imposing sanctions on South Africa’s apartheid regime led to a free, democratic, non-sexist and non-racial South Africa.”

Mr. Mulroney will be the first Canadian to receive this award.

The prime minister’s advocacy on this issue – which put him at odds with both America’s Ronald Reagan and Britain’s Margaret Thatcher – also earned him the Companion of the Order of Canada in 1998, this country’s highest honour.

A ceremony will be held on Freedom Day in South Africa on April 27 where President Jacob Zuma will bestow the awards.