Balton stated that apartheid was declared a crime against humanity because it was exactly that. “It was inhumane and the disastrous impact that it had on millions individually and collectively is an undeniable fact.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation shares growing public concern over the competence and ability of the Office of the Public Protector to discharge its constitutional and legal obligations. Last Friday’s hasty adverse findings of the Public Protector, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, against former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan raises serious questions on the credibility of the process…
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation calls on Gauteng Premier David Makhura to consider dismissing the MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Faith Mazibuko. This comes after amaBhungane published an audio clip of Mazibuko intimidating her departmental officials into bypassing procedures to build ‘combi’ sports courts in communities ahead of the elections in May. Despite officials…
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation condemns the racist and inhumane sentiments reportedly expressed by Black First Land First’s spokesperson, Lindsay Maasdorp, in relation to the Hoërskool Driehoek tragedy. Maasdorp is reported to have come out in support of a comment said to have posted by Facebook user, Siyanda Gumede, in which he said he “doesn’t have…
By Neeshan Balton This weekend, we will be given the final chance to register to vote in the upcoming elections. It will 25 years since South Africans of all races were first given this opportunity. The palpable excitement of the day, 27 April 1994, and the oppressive years of legislated apartheid that preceded it,…
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation condemns EFF leader Julius Malema’s attack on Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan. Malema was speaking at a protest outside the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on Tuesday when he compared Gordhan to a “dog” that was being handled by “white monopoly capital”. He urged his supporters to be prepared…
By Kabelo Kemp The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation will on October 13 at its Annual Lecture at Sci Bono Centre announce the top three winners of its annual national essay writing competition against racism. The three winners will also be afforded a chance to read out their essays in front of the Annual Lecture audience,…
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation welcomes the action taken against Hot 91.9 FM DJ, Sasha Martinengo, for his racist characterisation of EFF leader, Julius Malema. The Foundation’s Executive Director, Neeshan Balton, said, “We welcome the fact that the station has dismissed Martinengo hours after calling Julius Malema a ‘monkey’. We also commend the EFF for…
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is deeply concerned by a video made by Kessie Nair which went viral yesterday. In the video, Nair unashamedly and repeatedly refers to President Cyril Ramaphosa as a “kaffir President”. The Foundation’s Executive Director, Neeshan Balton, said, “We condemn this despicable utterance, which is an attack on the dignity of…
Reflections by Executive Director Neeshan Balton Ten years ago, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation was launched at Trade Route Mall, in Lenasia. Over this period, we have celebrated and we have cried. On August 21st, we marked what would have been the 89th birthday of late struggle stalwart, Ahmed Kathrada. In true ‘Kathy style’, we marked…