The late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has been acknowledged for his stand against the stigma of Aids.

Prince Buthelezi set the standard by openly discussing the tragic loss of two of his children to the disease.

Nosiviwe Maphisa Nqakula, the Speaker of Parliament, praised Prince Buthelezi for his bravery during a visit to the Buthelezi family residence in kwaPhindangene, Ulundi.

She highlighted the importance of his openness during an era when discussing Aids was taboo.

"Prince Buthelezi showed us the way and spoke about Aids when it wasn't popular," she said.

"When I lost my child, he was the first to console me. Not as a politician, but as a fellow grieving parent who felt a similar pain."

Prince Buthelezi and his wife, Queen Irene Mzila, mourned the loss of their children Princess Mandisi and Prince Nelisuzulu to Aids in 2004.

Their shared pain became a beacon of hope, sending a message that went against the stigma around the disease.

Maphisa Nqakula said Buthelezi's transparency about the disease laid the foundation for a more informed and compassionate approach towards Aids victims.

In her visit to Ulundi, the Speaker led a delegation of Parliament members to express their condolences to the grieving Buthelezi family.

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi passed away on 9 September. His departure took place at his kwaPhindangene home in Mahlabathini, shortly after his discharge from St Augustine Hospital in Durban.

In 2003, Buthelezi had passionately advocated within his party, urging the national government to provide Nevirapine treatments for expectant mothers.

His goal was to shield their unborn children from Aids.