Tuesday, 28 March 2017 – Parliament of the Republic of South Africa joins the nation in mourning the passing of anti-apartheid struggle veteran and campaigner for social justice, Ahmed Kathrada, this morning.
While the passing of Uncle Kathy, as he was affectionately known, evokes a sense of sadness and loss, it is also a celebration of his outstanding legacy of humanity, selflessness, self-sacrifice and reconciliation.
In honour of this remarkable stalwart and the great legacy he leaves behind, we urge all South Africans to be cognisant that freedom was not free; it came in the milieu of hardship, turmoil, death and destruction, experiences Uncle Kathy knew first hand. He was one of the shining stars of his generation that conceptualised and dedicated their entire lives to bringing about freedom and democracy.
It was uncle Kathy’s generation which paved the way and set up a solid foundation for today’s vibrant and activist democratic Parliament, whose overriding mission is not only to address colonial and historical imbalances and underdevelopment, but to lead society and all three arms of state to work tirelessly towards realisation of the ideals enunciated in the National Development Plan, Africa’s Agenda 2063 and in the Sustainable Development Goals.
As such, Parliament will continue to cherish the legacy of Uncle Kathy, which include his teachings and wisdom shared as far back as when he served as a member of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, the Correctional Services Committee and as Parliamentary Counsellor to President Nelson Mandela. He had advised Parliament to do more than correcting “material imbalances”, but to also adopt ‘revolutionary thinking and knowledge’, in order to achieve the necessary changes.
Although he retired in 1999 as a Member of Parliament, Uncle Kathy’s lifelong struggle for building a non-racial, non-sexist and a democratic society never ceased. In recent years, Uncle Kathy’s tireless activism for social justice included his relentless campaign against economic deprivation, racism, xenophobia, injustice in the Middle East and other social ills that threaten people’s democratic values.
Parliament will therefore continue to collaborate with The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation to advance the ideals Uncle Kathy worked tirelessly for, throughout his life, in service to humanity.
Parliament extends its heartfelt condolences to Uncle Kathy’s family and friends as we stand with the South African nation and the global community in mourning this outstanding patriot.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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