RIP Durban activist, Margaret Ambler-Moore

FORMER Durban councillor, Margaret Ambler-Moore, died on Sunday after a year-long battle with cancer.

Margaret, (70), was was a DA politician and member of parliament and retired from politics in 2009.

Margaret’s daughter, Julia Ambler, said it was a sad time for the family, but that Margaret was ready to go.

“We were so inspired and humbled by how my mom handled everything up to the end, it was testament to how she lived her life – she had such a horrendous time this past year but right up to the end she was thinking of everyone else and how we would all be prepared. She was very sick and lost her voice a few weeks ago, as she had cancer of the throat and mouth, but she handled it well. We made her very comfortable, she died peacefully,” she said.

Margaret’s other daughter, Annalinda, who lives in Australia, arrived in Durban yesterday.

Former colleague, Mark Louw, said he first met Margaret Ambler, as she was then known, in 1981 when he joined the PFP. She was already a feisty city councillor and the PFP’s provincial council candidate for Durban North in the 1981 general election.

“I served with Margaret on the Durban City Council from 1988 when we were all elected under the banner of the progressive group ‘Durban 2000’. There was no official political party involvement then, and we successfully fought against public opinion to open the beaches and all the amenities like swimming pools and libraries to all races. Margaret was at the very forefront of that fight, and many others,” he said.

From 1999 when they were both elected as DP MPL’s to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Margaret and Mark often travelled together on the long, dusty road to Ulundi and back for meetings and sittings of the Legislature.

“I got to know her very well. Margaret was a friend, a confidante and a colleague for so many years. She was a sparring partner and often a feisty, combative voice of conscience. She was a social warrior and activist: outspoken, opinionated but always respected. A true blue Liberal, she always spoke, often maddeningly so, with integrity and empathy. She was a trail blazer and one of Durban’s finest public representatives. I shall miss her deeply. My sincere condolences to her daughters Julia, Annalinda and their families. RIP Margaret, your job is done,” said Mark.