SA mourns loss of ‘giant’ Kathrada
THE best way to maintain the legacy of late ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada is to fulfil his dream and that of his fellow veterans and correct the wrongs in the ruling party, former South African president Thabo Mbeki said yesterday.
“We have lost one of the giants of our struggle,” Mbeki said.
“To lose a person like [him], with his experience, is very painful.”
Kathrada, 87, died at about 4am yesterday in a Johannesburg hospital after suffering complications from a medical procedure to deal with clotting on the brain.
He was one of the last three remaining Rivonia trialists – the other two being Andrew Mlangeni and Dennis Goldberg.
“Kathy wanted the challenges that the ANC and the country are facing [to be corrected]‚” Mbeki said.
“That the ANC veterans and the ANC leadership engage one another to come up with solutions to the many challenges the country faces.
“A real tribute to him would be to complete that process and ensure it produces the [needed] results.”
Speaking at the Nelson Mandela Foundation following a commemoration for Kathrada, Winnie MadikizelaMandela said his passing pained her in the same way the death of her ex-husband, former president Nelson Mandela, did.
“[Kathrada] was an extension of Madiba and his parting just brings finality to a chapter in the history of our struggle,” she said.
The commemoration was attended by high-profile figures including former speaker of parliament Frene Ginwala‚ human rights lawyer George Bizos and political activist Sophie de Bruyn
Madikizela-Mandela said she wished Kathrada had not died at this particular time.
“All that he had fought for is not what is going on today,” she said.
“It is a tragedy that he saw what is happening today.”
Last year‚ shortly after President Jacob Zuma had removed then fi-
nance minister Nhlanhla Nene, Kathrada penned a letter to Zuma‚ imploring him to resign.
Yesterday, Zuma announced a special official funeral to be held today.
“He was one of the longest-serving political prisoners in the country,” Zuma said.
“The [ANC] bestowed its highest honour‚ Isithwalandwe/Seaparankoe, on Mr Kathrada in 1992 for his selfless dedication to the struggle for a free, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa.”
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “The establishment of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation was born out of his conviction that he could not rest for as long as the people of this country were not free from want‚ hunger and ignorance.
“After a lifetime of struggle‚ the work of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation will cement his legacy as a resolute champion of non-racialism‚ reconciliation and nation-building.”
The Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation said: “We shall greatly miss his voice of reason and his principled stand against racism‚ dishonesty and disregard for our movement’s values.
“He was not afraid to be the lone voice of caution‚ even when others feared recrimination in doing so.”
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said: “Another giant has left this earth.
“He was part of a crop of leaders of the ANC that we will forever idealise because of their style of leadership and the sacrifices they made in their efforts to free the oppressed masses of South Africa.”
COPE said: “He belongs in the special league of heroes and heroines who uncompromisingly believed in the sanctity of the truth and the correctness of their vision of a South Africa that belongs to all.”
An emotional Goldberg‚ speaking to Radio 702 just hours after Kathrada’s death, recalled his letter calling on Zuma to resign. “I support him on that,” he said. “There’s a violation of our constitution going on constantly‚ and that constitution is what stands between us and chaos.”
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said Kathrada had fought relentlessly for the freedoms South Africans shared today.
“Uncle Kathy‚ as he was affectionately known‚ embodied a profound sense of compassion‚ and an unwavering commitment to true justice.”
Human rights group Section 27 said: “While Ahmed Kathrada’s long journey has come to an end, as a nation ours has just begun.
“The greatest honour to Kathy is to defend everything we have fought for‚ with everything we have got. That fight is now.”