The former head of South Africa’s National Intelligence Service and a key figure in the negotiations for a peaceful transition, Dr. Niël Barnard, has passed away at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. Barnard played a significant behind-the-scenes role in preparation for former president Nelson Mandela, along with former South African Presidents P.W. Botha and F.W. de Klerk, for Mandela’s eventual release. He was among the first representatives of the apartheid state to meet secretly with the African National Congress (ANC) in Switzerland. Barnard is survived by his wife, Engela, two sons, and five grandchildren.
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