/ 10 January 2008

Kagiso Trust chairperson dies

Kagiso Trust announced on Thursday the death of its chairperson, Yunus Mahomed. He was 57. He died on Sunday.

Apart from being a founding trustee of Kagiso Trust, Mahomed was deputy chairperson of Kagiso Trust Investments, chairperson of CBF Holdings Limited, director of FirstRand Limited, director of the Johannesburg Housing Company and a non-executive director of Kagiso Media.

Mahomed was born and schooled in Johannesburg, graduated from the University of South Africa and spent time in Pakistan. He returned to South Africa and became involved with the United Democratic Front (UDF) from its inception in 1982. He was elected to the UDF’s national executive and became the regional secretary for the movement in Durban.

Mahomed was one of the instructing attorneys in the Delmas treason trial where Popo Molefe, Mosiuoa Lekota and Frank Chikane, key leaders of the UDF, were arrested and charged under the prevailing security laws, along with 20 others.

Kgotso Schoeman, chief executive of Kagiso Trust, said: “Yunus, or YM as he was affectionately known, was a passionate and consistent leader. He had very definite views on how the role of Kagiso Trust should and must assist in shaping the future growth and development of South Africa.”

He added: “His unwavering focus and hands-on involvement have helped drive our organisation for more than 20 years.” — I-Net Bridge