Kathrada will be greatly missed in Alex
ALEXANDRA – Alex mourns the passing of Oom Kathy who died early this morning.
Alexandra mourns the untimely passing of struggle icon and veteran ANC leader and former Robben Island inmate and Rivonia trialist, Ahmed Kathrada and lauds him for his political and social work in the township in the 1950s.
Alex social researcher, Thabo Mopasi said the community of this township will remember him as an ‘excellent leader’ for his work in the 1950s with Onica Mashego and his declared wish ‘to see a true renewal of Alexandra under the Alexandra Renewal Project, as opposed to the slums we continue seeing today’.
“I would like to join other leaders in sending our condolences, as the community of Alexandra to the Kathrada family, the ANC and the country as a whole on the great loss. My greatest wish after his passing is that his foundation can continue the work he had started in the fight against racism and the charity work it was involved in,” Mopasi said.
As a former pupil of Ikage Primary School, Mopasi urged the school governing body to seriously consider reverting to the old name of the school, which was Ahmed Kathrada. They can do this by working closely with his foundation.
ANC Zone 13 chairperson, Mpho Moerane said, “As the ANC in Alex, we would like to send our heartfelt condolences to Oom Kathy’s family, the nation and the ANC.
“Oom Kathy was a freedom fighter who never rested, even after the attainment of democracy as he continued to fight the evils of racism and I hope the foundation carries on his work. We’re what we are today, as a free nation, because of his tireless work and dedication.”
Leading Alex philanthropist and former political activist, Linda Twala said he feels the pain of the passing of the stalwart because the freedom we enjoy today, we owe to him and others.
Read: Ahmed Kathrada dies at 87
“I hope what Oom Kathy and others fought for, we will get. People fought for freedom and other things, including the land and a share of the wealth of this country and these two have not been attained. I look forward to the day we shall fully attain the land and participation in the economic sphere of this country,” said Twala.
“[Kathrada was a] very humble and down to earth leader and a person who never allowed leadership fame to get to his head, as we see this today with many of our leaders. Above all, he was a human being.”
A member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature working in the Alex Parliamentary Constituency Office, Godfrey Tsotetsi said the people of Alex were saddened by Oom Kathy’s passing as he was one of a few remaining Robben Island prisoners.
Read: Tributes pour in after the passing of ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada
He described him as, “An epitome of humanity, a leader benched on humility and whose scarcity depresses all of us. His passing is a great loss to all of us, the country, and the ANC in particular as the party currently battles with leadership qualities.”
A youthful leader and Ward 116 councillor, Adolf Marema described Oom Kathy as a selfless leader and a servant of the people to the bitter end. “Old as he was, Oom Kathy never rested. I remember in the last local government election, he walked and campaigned with us in Alexandra and Orange Farm. Losing him, with his wisdom, is like losing the archives of the ANC,” Marema said.
Edited by Beryl Knipe
Send your condolences on the death of Oom Kathy on WhatsApp 079 439 5345.
