OBITUARY
Ahmed Kathrada: struggle icon and Rivonia triallist
In his humble and quiet manner, Kathrada continued throughout his life to oppose abuses of power, weighing in on issues of national interest
Already in 2004, when he published his Memoirs, Ahmed Kathrada wrote: “As proud as all South Africans are entitled to be over the first decade of democracy, euphoria should not be allowed to lull us into complacency…. We need to continue guarding against the temptations of careerism, self-interest and corruption.” Kathrada himself, after having played a massive role in the struggle for liberation in SA, never yielded to the temptations he warned of. After his release from 26 years in prison, he played a quiet, background role, shunning the race for high office, and he was noted for his humility, which Desmond Tutu referred to as his “self-effacement”. Yet in his humble and quiet manner, Kathrada continued throughout his life to oppose abuses of power, weighing in on issues of national interest, most recently in his support for students calling for free education and also in his call for President Jacob Zuma to resign. Kathy, as he is referred to by young and old alike, was born in S...
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