SA mourns struggle stalwart
JOHANNESBURG. — Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada, who died yesterday morning will be buried at the Westpark Cemetery today in accordance with Muslim funeral rituals, his foundation said. President Jacob Zuma announced that Kathrada would be given a special official funeral. “The president has instructed that the national flag fly at half-mast at every station in the country from today‚ March 28 until the evening of the official memorial service.”
JOHANNESBURG. — Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada, who died yesterday morning, will be buried at Westpark Cemetery today in accordance with Muslim funeral rituals, his foundation said.
President Jacob Zuma announced that Kathrada would be given a special official funeral.
“The president has instructed that the national flag fly at half-mast at every station in the country from today‚ March 28 until the evening of the official memorial service‚” a statement from his office said.
“President Zuma sends his deepest condolences to his partner‚ former Minister of Public Enterprises Ms Barbara Hogan‚ the Kathrada family and his political home‚ the African National Congress‚ which Uncle Kathy served selflessly throughout his adult life.”
The presidency said Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was to lead the send-off. Kathrada was 87. He had undergone surgery relating to a blood clot on the brain earlier this month, but experienced several post-operative complications and contracted pneumonia in both lungs.
The funeral will begin around 10am and include a tribute from former president and the foundation’s board member, Kgalema Motlanthe, the foundation said in a statement yesterday.
Anti-apartheid struggle veteran Sophie Williams-de Bruyn, one of Kathrada’s Robben Island prison mates and family member will address mourners.
Meanwhile, Deputy President Ramaphosa yesterday described Kathrada’s sense of humour as wicked and wonderful. Speaking to reporters outside Kathrada’s home in Killarney, Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said there was a side to Kathrada that many might not have known.
“My fond memory of Uncle Kathy (as he was popularly called) is that he was so wicked and so wonderful,” Ramaphosa said.
“His popularity amongst celebrities, particularly movie stars was the type that would make many men envious,” he said.
Ramaphosa said Kathrada always managed to surround himself by “wonderful and beautiful” movie stars.
“I am still trying to search what it is that Ahmed Kathrada had that got so many movie stars attracted to him — but I think I know what it is — it was his humility, his warm personality that attracted people to him. They became attracted to him because he was the only person that was able to tell the stories of our struggle in the most gentle way and at the same time, telling the truth of our struggle.”
Former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said Kathrada took responsibility in the struggle, not for positions, but to help others.
“In mourning his passing, I think we mourn the coming to an end of that generation,” Manuel said outside Kathrada’s home.
Manuel said Kathrada had died with the same resilience and dignity with which he had lived. The ANC veteran had treated everybody with dignity and strength.
Manuel told reporters that his first encounter with Kathrada was when he was detained in solitary confinement. He said Kathrada had given him hope.
“There are some things he didn’t achieve (after he was released from prison). The driving after so many years became too difficult for him in Joburg.
“He wasn’t threatened by ideas. He was prepared to engage in ideas, prepared to listen to people,” Manuel said.
In their condolence message, the ANC Youth League said it felt “naked and stripped” of revolutionary knowledge following the death of Kathrada, while the EFF called on South Africans to learn from “Uncle Kathy’s” selflessness in helping the marginalised and ensuring their voices were heard.
The two organisations yesterday joined the chorus of tributes for the anti-apartheid fighter and ANC veteran.
“The movement drew inspiration and wisdom from Cde Kathy till his last breath. We are left naked and stripped of our reservoir of revolutionary knowledge with the passing of our icon,” the ANCYL said in a statement.
It applauded Kathrada for his contribution to the league during its early days.
“Cde Kathy belonged to the generation of Youth Leaguers in the form of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and many others who are described as the crème de la crème of our movement.”
Kathrada’s death should inspire the league’s members to emulate the values which the struggle icon, who spent 26 years of his life in prison, espoused and to “to pick up the spear and soldier on”.
“We will protect his movement that he loved till his last breath,” the league said.
The EFF called on people to adopt his uncompromising posture in the fight against corruption.
“We must be prepared, as he did, to pay even with our lives and imprisonment if need be as he did,” the party said in a statement.
“His efforts are recognised by the world as he formed part of the collective that lived to defeat the murderous apartheid regime.”