"Gregoire will be forever remembered for his contributions to South African art and artists. As an artist he committed himself and his work to the celebration of humanity. Even in the darkest days of apartheid as a white Afrikaner constantly reminding those of privilege of the effects of discrimination and acknowledging to those deprived of their opportunities their spirit, lives and courage.
"We have lost an architect of our freedom who captured its promise in oils and lithographs before it could become reality. In this way he struggled as an Afrikaner to help provide the vision of the Nation that we share today.
"His initiation and development of the art genre that depicts the life of the lost District Six has become a truly South African and truly Cape Town art form with many exponents. His generosity to young artists of all backgrounds is legendary within art circles as is his support through gifts of art to those who shared his visions of a shared humanity marked by dignity and caring.
"It is not possible to register all the achievements of a son of our land who became known as South Africa's Van Gogh; except to say that our Province honoured him on Heritage Day last year with a Provincial Honours Award which he graciously accepted.
"Gregoire was a human person. He was loved, respected, appreciated and admired by art students, artists, collectors and society at large. On behalf of the Province I extend to the family and friends of Gregoire our greatest sympathy and shared sense of loss. Hamba kahle Gregoire Boonzaier en baie dankie!"
