Helen Suzman was for many years a lone defender of liberal values in the South African Parliament, the FW de Klerk foundation said on Thursday.

"She fearlessly spoke out, and actively worked for, the freedoms and justice in which she so passionately believed. She lived to see the realisation of many of her ideals in the adoption of our interim constitution in 1993 and our present constitution in 1996," said FW de Klerk in a statement.

De Klerk said for many years he and Suzman were political opponents, but always respected one another.

"We differed, however, on the need to protect community and minority rights. Helen Suzman thought that such rights could be best protected by guaranteeing individual rights, while I believed that they needed specific protection,"

He said in recent years, through the foundations that bear their names, they have been united in their common endeavours to defend the rights and institutions that were protected by the Constitution.

"Helen Suzman made an enormous contribution to the establishment of our constitutional democracy and to the promotion of non-racial justice in South Africa."

Sapa