ANC leaders, friends and colleagues of the late wife of former Intelligence Minister, Ronnie Kasrils have packed the Vineyard Hotel in Claremont for her memorial service.

Eleanor Kasrils (73) died of a stroke at a Cape Town hospital last weekend. Former Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad, Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin, Home Affairs Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the former Arts and Culture Minister, Pallo Jordan and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu were among those who attended the ceremony.

Kasrils was cremated privately this morning. She spent many years with her husband in exile where she worked with the late ANC president, Oliver Tambo.

On Wednesday, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe conveyed the organisation’s condolences to the family of ex-Intelligence Minister Kasrils. “We offer our sincere condolences to the Kasrils family. She was a long-standing cadre ... she had been in all organs of the ANC since the 60s,” Mantashe said.

The couple would have celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary next month – the “most wonderful, happy marriage”, Kasrils said, adding that she did “some fantastic things” in her political work.

Former President Thabo Mbeki also offered his sympathies. “Comrade Eleanor’s passing is not only tragic for Comrade Ronnie and his family - it is a tragedy for all of us who fought for freedom side by side with her,” Mbeki said.

“Sadly, yet another combatant in the noble army of freedom fighters has fallen.” - Additional reporting by Sapa