Albie Sachs: "It has been a wonderful life. When I put all the things together, I can hardly believe it..." - Peter Bills, Columnists - The Independent

Albie Sachs: "It has been a wonderful life. When I put all the things together, I can hardly believe it..." - Peter Bills, Columnists - The IndependentYet life has continued to fascinate and intrigue Albie Sachs, then and now. To have been appointed to the newly established Constitutional Court and to help with the development of the Constitutional building in Johannesburg and its art collection besides its vision, was marvellous. Then, on a personal level, to have found love again (he was married before and had two sons) late in life with Vanessa, a relationship that has produced an adored son, Oliver, perhaps proves the biblical saying "God moves in mysterious ways".

"We were together for ten years before marrying and to become a father again in my early 70s, was extraordinary, a delight. Meeting Vanessa gave a huge élan to living; sharing things, having fun?.just the details of every day life. We have travelled all over the world together and she is a marvellous, generous spirit with a quick mind and great sense of fun. We have been together now for 15 years and it has been such a happy time. It is an absolute bonus having a young son again. My friends are having grandchildren but I can tell you, it is much more fun to have a child at this age.

"It has been a succession of wonderful, improbable yet very real episodes. Yet I don’t buy the religious thing; I don’t feel there is a guiding hand behind me. I am very respectful of the religious beliefs of others but personally I have never felt that.

"In the deep struggle days I couldn’t marry someone that hadn’t been in solitary confinement. It was such a profound existence, I couldn’t share my life with someone that hadn’t known it. But after the achievement of democracy I felt somehow free from that need.

"I feel that we have achieved what I call my soft vengeance. It is much more beautiful than ordinary punishment. It is a huge transformation of our country that validates everything we went through."

Albie Sachs, who studied at the University of Cape Town, has written many books on human rights. His calm, philosophical demeanour enabled him to meet the person who organised the placing of the bomb in his car 20 years ago. They came face to face years later, assailant and his victim; two men from diametrically opposed philosophies brought together by unique circumstances. Sachs called him "an instrument of his side" and the security official proffered