Neil de Beer, the founder and President of the United Independent Movement UIM, passed away on 30 August 2025 at the age of 56 following a battle with cancer. His death marks the end of a remarkable life devoted to restoring dignity and accountability to South African politics, Cape town Etc reports.
Born in Stellenbosch in October 1968, de Beer began his national service in 1987 before defecting from the apartheid security apparatus in 1988 to join uMkhonto we Sizwe as an intelligence operative.
He served later as national security adviser to President Nelson Mandela before resigning from the ANC in 2020, citing profound disillusionment and arguing that Nelson Mandela would not recognise the party in its current form.