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Ahmed Kathrada
Opposing apartheid and spending more than 26 years in prison.
Presidential adviser · Robben Island Museum
- Born
- 21 August 1929
- Birthplace
- Schweizer-Reneke, South Africa
- Died
- 28 March 2017
More people
Ahmed Kathrada
Ahmed Kathrada was a South African activist and politician imprisoned with Nelson Mandela after the Rivonia Trial.
Early life
Family origins
Was born to Indian immigrant parents from Gujarat.
Early organising
Joined the Young Communist League as a child.
Career
- 1946
Passive resistance
Was jailed during protests against discriminatory laws.
- 1964
Life sentence
Was convicted at the Rivonia Trial.
- 1989
Release
Left prison and returned to public political work.
- 1994
Parliament
Was elected in South Africa’s first fully democratic national election.
Selected work
Presidential adviser
Served as parliamentary counsellor to Nelson Mandela.
Robben Island Museum
Chaired the museum council.
Memoirs
Published his account of activism and imprisonment.
Beyond work
Prison study
Completed university degrees while incarcerated.
Partnership
Shared his later life with fellow anti-apartheid activist Barbara Hogan.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Further source ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
Photo: Office of Senator Christopher Coons. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
