Fallen Struggle stalwart a ‘cool dude’

TRIBUTES have poured in for former Robben Island prisoner and Unity Movement activist, Sonny Venkatrathnam, 84, who died on Friday morning. His death came as a shock to the family, who described him as “fit and healthy” before his admission at Entabeni Hospital.

Retired judge Thumba Pillay said they enjoyed “many years of friendship” during their time at university. They were students at the University of Natal in the late 1950s.

Kiru Naidoo, former colleague in the Political Science department at the then University of Durban-westville, said Venkatrathnam was “uncompromising in his principles of integrity, unity and equality”.

“He was a cool dude who carried a backpack, wore takkies and a Unity Movement T-shirt that had ‘to yield a little is to capitulate a lot’ splashed on the front,” added Naidoo.

Former student Simphiwe Dlamini said: “In 1991, when he was teaching us African Political Economy, I remember him saying South African students didn’t know what pure coffee was, and indeed he was right.”

Apart from his stellar role in the Struggle, Venkatrathnam made headlines around the world with his Robben Island Bible – collected works of Shakespeare, which was kept carefully hidden from the guards.

It was the subject of a book by Professor Ashwin Desai, published by Unisa Press in 2012.

Venkatrathnam will be laid to rest today with a funeral service at the Clare Estate Crematorium at 11am followed by cremation at 2.30pm.