• The family of ANC MP Hishaam Mohamed, ANC MP and UDF activist, has described him as "a giant", saying he was fiercely protective of his family.
• Mohamed had a heart attack and died, and he was buried according to Muslim rites on Tuesday.
• Tributes have been pouring in for Mohamed, who was instrumental in the justice system and community programmes.

The family of late ANC MP Hishaam Mohamed has described him as "a voice of reason" and a fierce protector of his family.

The former United Democratic Front activist has a heart attack and died on Monday.

He was buried on Tuesday and the funeral proceedings were streamed via Zoom to accommodate the hundreds of people who could not attend due to Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

"Hishaam was a giant to us as his family. We would consult with him first before making any major personal or work decisions, and the respect went both ways – despite his position in society, he would often seek advice from us as his siblings on personal and work matters," the family said in a statement on Sunday.

"He was a voice of reason, always providing sage words when it was most needed. He was fiercely protective of his family, especially his siblings, wife Rachmat and children Imraan, Haneem and Uzair."

His family said he had a dry sense of humour and sometimes enjoyed being the butt of jokes within his family circle.

The family said:

"He also hosted soup kitchens, organised food parcels and sanitary care packs for people in the poorest areas of the southern suburbs … during the Covid-19 lockdown."

Mohamed played his part in the struggle and had been jailed by apartheid police on a number of occasions for leading protests.

"We as the Mohamed family, would like to express our sincere gratitude to the family, friends and associates of our dear brother … for all the messages of condolence and support this week.

"We are still devastated by his sudden passing and are battling to process what has happened. Hishaam was a father figure to us all, following the death of our dad, Abdullah Sheikh Mohamed, in 2002."