Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada.
ANC struggle veteran Ahmed Kathrada has died after being in hospital for almost a month.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation confirmed the news about the iconic activist on their Twitter account shortly after 5.30am today.
Kathrada was admitted to hospital on March 4 for surgery related to blood clotting in the brain.
The foundation’s director, Neeshan Balton, said in a statement that Kathrada had “experienced several health-related setbacks making the prognosis of his illness unpredictable”.
The 87-year-old had initially been admitted to hospital for dehydration and exhaustion, but doctors later picked up the clot, which was removed. Last week he contracted pneumonia.
According to the foundation, Kathrada insisted on a “simple” funeral, refusing a state funeral. He will be buried at the Westpark cemetery in Johannesburg.
The funeral procession will leave Masjid Furqan in Houghton at 9am on Wednesday, proceeding to the cemetery. At the cemetery, a short ceremony will be held where foundation board members, Derek Hanekom and Kgalema Motlante are expected to speak.
Kathrada was one of three Rivonia trialists still alive today – the two remaining being Andrew Mlangeni and Denis Goldberg.
– Additional reporting by agencies