The preservation of our liberation history is not only about memory, but also about safeguarding truth for future generations.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, in partnership with North-West University’s School of Social Sciences and the National Heritage Council, will host the second phase of its student archival training programme, set to take place at Constitution Hill. This programme is equipping 20 students with practical archival skills while also deepening their engagement with South Africa’s liberation heritage.

As part of the day’s activities, students will take part in a guided tour of the Ahmed Kathrada Exhibition. The exhibition offers an in-depth exploration of Kathrada’s life, his role in the liberation struggle, and the broader context of apartheid and resistance in South Africa. This experience is designed to complement their archival training by grounding it in lived history, encouraging students to critically engage with the material and draw connections between past struggles and contemporary issues of justice and equality.

This session, the second in a three-part series, will combine technical training with a structured reflection exercise. The reflection is intended to deepen students’ understanding of South Africa’s liberation history by analysing historical content, interpreting key themes, and applying lessons from the past to present-day challenges.

The programme is anchored in a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed in July 2025 between the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and North-West University (NWU). The MoA establishes a long-term collaboration on digitisation and archival projects, ensuring that this and future initiatives are structured, sustainable, and aligned with the academic and community engagement objectives of both institutions.

As part of a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) initiative, the programme equips students with essential archival skills, including cataloguing, preservation, and digitisation. Its goal is not only to safeguard South Africa’s liberation heritage but also to make historical records accessible to researchers, students, and communities nationwide.

The programme will conclude later this year with a certification ceremony, recognising the students’ participation and newly acquired skills as heritage custodians.

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:

Anele Gcwabe

Communications Manager

Ahmed Kathrada Foundation

083-278-8832

anele@kathradafoundation.org