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Biographical notes on A.M. Kathrada
Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada (or “Kathy”, as he is popularly known)
was born on 21 August 1929 in Schweizer-Reneke, a small rural South
African town, about 200 miles from Johannesburg.
While still at primary school in Johannesburg he got involved in a
multi-racial youth club, run by the Young Communist League. This was
his introduction to formal politics.
In 1946, while he was in his matric year, the South African Indian
Congress, (an ally of the African National Congress) started a passive
resistance campaign against a law that discriminated specifically
against Indians. About 2,000 volunteers went to prison for defying
this law. Thus, at the age of 17 years and a few months, A. Kathrada
served one month imprisonment in Durban.
It was about this time that A. Kathrada first met ANC leaders,
Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela, etc. (The latter was at University
in Johannesburg) It was the beginning of a close association which
still persists.
In 1951, A. Kathrada was selected to attend a Festival of youth in
East Berlin. It was jointly organized by the World Federation of
Democratic Youth (WFDY), and the International Union of Students (IUS).
From there he visited Poland. What made the biggest impression on his
mind was a visit to the Auschwitz Concentration camp.
Back home in 1952, A. Kathrada was among 20 persons, who had been
arrested and charged for organizing a Defiance Campaign against 6
“unjust laws”. The campaign was jointly organized by the African
National Congress and South African Indian Congress. Among his
co-accused were Messrs Mandela and Sisulu.
In 1954, A. Kathrada was placed under restrictions by the Security
police. These “banning orders” prohibited him from attending
gatherings; and ordered him not to participate in the activities of 39
specified organizations. The aim of the police was to prohibit such
“banned” persons from participating in politics altogether. A.
Kathrada was arrested several times for breaking his “banning orders”.
In 1956, A. Kathrada was among the 156 Congress activists and
leaders who were arrested and charged with High Treason. The trial
continued over 4 years; at the end he, (again together with W. Sisulu
and N. Mandela) was among the 30 remaining accused who were found not
guilty. That was in 1961.
In 1960, the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress
were declared illegal. This made political activity virtually
impossible. Consequently, in December 1961, the illegal ANC switched
to an “armed struggle”. This consisted of attacks on “apartheid
structures” such as Government buildings, electric pylons, telephone
wires etc., by means of bombs. The campaign specifically excluded
activities that would harm human beings. A. Kathrada took active part
in the first period of this armed activity.
In 1962, A. Kathrada was placed under “house arrest”. He had to
remain indoors from 6 in the evening till 7 the next morning. He could
have no visitors, and was not allowed to communicate with other
“banned” individuals. He was also confined to the area of
Johannesburg.
In 1963, following discussions in the liberation organizations, A.
Kathrada broke all his banning orders, and went “underground”, to
continue his political work.
In July of 1963, the police swooped on the hiding place (in Rivonia,
a Johannesburg suburb) where A. Kathrada and other “banned” persons
had been having a meeting. This led to the famous “Rivonia Trial”, in
which 8 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.
Accused No. 1 was Nelson Mandela; other accused Walter Sisulu, Ahmed
Kathrada, etc.
Altogether A. Kathrada spent 26 years and 3 months in prison, 18 of
which were on Robben Island. After 18 years Mandela, Sisulu, Kathrada,
Mhlaba and Mlangeni (all Rivonia accused) were transferred to
Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town.
While in prison, A. Kathrada obtained 4 University degrees:
- B.A. (majors in History and Criminology)
- B. Bibliography (majors in African Politics and Library Science)
- B.A. Honours (History)
- B.A. Honours (African Politics)
Soon after his release in 1989, the ANC was unbanned. At its first
legal conference in South Africa, A. Kathrada was elected onto the
National Executive Committee of the ANC. Until 1994 he headed its
Public Relations Department. At its conference in 1997 A. Kathrada
declined nomination to the National Executive Committee.
In 1992, A. Kathrada undertook the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.
After the first democratic elections in 1994, A. Kathrada was
elected to Parliament. He also served as Parliamentary Counselor in
the Office of President Mandela. At the 1999 elections A. Kathrada
declined nomination as Member of Parliament.
He was Chairperson of the Robben Island Museum Council since its
inception in 1997 until 2006, when his term expired.
A. Kathrada has been the recipient of the following awards:
- “Isithwalandwe”; which is the highest award bestowed by
the ANC
- The ANC’s Merit Award, for long service
Presidential Order for Meritorious Service; Class 1: Gold
- Honorary Doctorate: University of Massachusetts, May 2000
- Honorary Doctorate by the University of Durban-Westville, 2002
- Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Missouri,
January 2004
- Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, by President of India, January
2005
- Doctor of Humanities, Michigan State University, December 2005
Books:
- In 1999 he published “Letters from Robben Island”.
- In 2004 he published his “Memoirs”.
- In 2005 Kathrada’s “book of quotations” was published.
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