Today, August 21, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) celebrates the 97th birth
anniversary of our founder, anti-apartheid stalwart Ahmed Kathrada. We honour a life
defined by courage, humility, and an unwavering belief in human dignity. As an independent
and non-partisan organisation, the Foundation remains strictly dedicated to advancing the
principles of justice, equality, and non-racialism across the political spectrum. This milestone
marks the formal beginning of our roadmap to Uncle Kathy’s centenary in 2029 — a moment
that calls on us to both celebrate the victories of our past and confront the realities of our
present.

Uncle Kathy’s life teaches us that freedom is never static; it must be constantly nurtured and
defended. As we look at South Africa today, we acknowledge that our democracy faces
profound challenges. High youth unemployment, deep-seated poverty, and persistent racial
polarization threaten the very fabric of our society. In these trying times, the Foundation
remains a resolute, unwavering voice against state capture and corruption, while firmly
standing in solidarity with whistleblowers who risk everything to protect our democracy.
On Sunday, the Foundation will host a remembrance event that marks the fifth anniversary of
slain whistle-blower, Babita Deokaran. Furthermore, we maintain a fierce stand against
xenophobia, ensuring that the human dignity Kathy fought for extends to all who live in
South Africa.

To overcome today’s crises, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is focused on igniting youth
leadership, promoting active citizenship, and preserving liberation history. This active
inclusion of liberation history serves as an important link to Kathrada’s own emphasis on its
vital role in guiding future generations. Over the next three years, our strategic focus will
expand on these core pillars. This includes a landmark cultural event: in November 2026, the
Foundation will proudly host the launch of the biography of Marwan Barghouti, titled
“Unbroken: In Pursuit of Freedom for Palestine”, reinforcing our commitment to
international solidarity and transnational freedom struggles. On Saturday, the 22 August the
Foundation will participate in events marking the 80 th anniversary of the 1946 Passive
Resistance Campaign. This campaign was Kathys move into full-time activism and also saw
him serving his first prison sentence of a month in that year.

With the crucial 2026 Local Government Elections approaching, the Foundation has
translated this commitment into direct, non-partisan grassroots action. Through our network
of sixty-five youth clubs across the Gauteng Province, we have conducted voter education
and registration drives. To protect the integrity of the vote, the Foundation has committed to
deploying approximately five hundred election observers to support the Defend Our
Democracy movement’s Election Watch campaign.

True democracy also requires everyday accountability and local public participation. Through
the Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA), the Foundation has continuously engaged directly with
residents on what a functional, well-governed city must look like. To hold political leadership
to these standards, the JCA and Daily Maverick will host the highly anticipated Joburg
Mayoral Debate on Wednesday, 26 August. This debate will serve as a vital platform to
unpack and interrogate the solutions major political parties are proposing to fix our economic
hub.

As we celebrate Uncle Kathy today, we call on all South Africans, civil society organisations,
and progressive movements to join us on this roadmap to 2029. Let us use Kathy’s memory
not just as history, but as an active blueprint for building the equal, just society he envisioned.

About the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation:
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation dedicated to
deepening non-racialism, defending constitutionalism, and promoting social justice in South
Africa. Established in 2008 by anti-apartheid struggle veteran Ahmed Kathrada, the
Foundation fulfils its mission through youth leadership programmes, anti-racism advocacy,
liberation history archiving, and active civic mobilization.

Media Enquiries:

 Contact: Mr Neeshan Balton
 Designation: Executive Director, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation
 Email: neeshanb@gmail.com
 Phone: +27823731143
 Website: http://www.kathradafoundation.org