CONDOLENCES continued to pour in on Thursday for the late struggle stalwart Amina Cachalia, a long-time friend of former president Nelson Mandela.

Ms Cachalia, who spent 15 years under house arrest in the 1960s and 1970s, died on Thursday in Johannesburg’s Milpark Hospital.

The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory said it had learnt of her death with great sadness.

"On behalf of our founder, board of trustees and staff, we send our deepest condolences to her family and friends," the centre’s CE, Achmat Dangor, said.

"She and her husband, Yusuf, were friends with Mr Mandela in the years before he went to prison."

Ms Cachalia became an MP after the first democratic election in 1994. She received the Order of Luthuli in Bronze 10 years later for her lifetime contribution to the struggle for gender equality, nonracism and a free and democratic South Africa.

The African National Congress said South Africa and the party would forever be indebted to Ms Cachalia for her role in ensuring that South Africa became a democracy "so that it could redress the ills of segregation and dehumanisation of the majority of our people". She would be remembered for her selflessness and commitment.