The South African Ambassador to Ireland, Ms Melanie Verwoerd, was in Cork last week to address a UCC conference on the challenge of change. The ambassador was speaking on local government but outside the conference, she had some interesting observations on Ireland's peace process.
While not wishing to become involved in the debate on arms decommissioning in Northern Ireland, Ms Verwoerd recalled that the handing over of weapons was also an issue in South Africa in 1990, after hostilities had ceased and Nelson Mandela was released from prison.
"The negotiations for the transfer of power were under way but the issue of arms had still not been resolved, even though the struggle had stopped," she said. "It was decided to go ahead with the talks without having achieved a resolution to the issue.
"I would have to be careful about drawing parallels with the situation in Northern Ireland, however. I think it is being watched very closely by my government and, of course, Cyril Ramaphosa is part of the de Chastelain commission. The attitude of our government is that South Africa will give every support to the Irish peace process. After what happened in America, it's fair to say that people everywhere will want to take stock.
"This was a serious wake-up call to us all. It's hard to comment directly on what is going on in Ireland but the hope would have to be that a balanced approach will be taken," she said.
In South Africa, the name Verwoerd is synonymous with apartheid. Her husband Wilhelm's grandfather, Hendrik, was its architect.
The name will always be linked with apartheid, but in modern South Africa, it has different resonances, Ms Verwoerd said. Within the die-hard white community, the Verwoerd name is still revered and respected and Wilhelm and Melanie Verwoerd, through their ANC affiliation, are seen almost as traitors to the memory of a great, white South African.
For black South Africans, the name evokes anger, hatred and pain, and a lot of interest and curiosity as to why the Verwoerds should have followed the course they did. It was a practical step for them on the road to reconciliation, Ms Verwoerd said.