Statement by Ahmed Kathrada on receiving Freedom of the City of Cape Town

26 November 2015

It is a privilege and honour to receive the Freedom of the City of Cape Town. It is gratifying to know that the decision was supported unanimously by all political parties in Council. For this kind gesture, I express my sincere thanks and appreciation. 

The Freedom of the City is conferred to:

1. A person of distinction;

2. One who has rendered eminent services to the city; or

3.  Any military unit.

I would like to think that as an involuntary guest of the city for 26 years, I rendered eminent services to it. This, however, is also questionable when you consider that we paid no rates or taxes to the City, while we merely existed as political prisoners on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison.

So why the City has deemed it necessary to grant me this award, remains a mystery to me. I do, however, hope that the Freedom of the City will come with some real freedoms for all the people of this beautiful city.

I have accepted this recognition on behalf of many men and women, black and white, who sacrificed life and limb to bring about a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society.

One recalls:

1. Lilian Ngoyi and the other leaders of the 1956 Women’s March; I am looking forward to the celebrations that will mark the 60^th anniversary of that historic event.

2. The youth of 1976, who broke the culture of silence and contributed to the resurgence of the liberation struggle. We must pay a fitting tribute to these young people when we mark the 40^th anniversary of that historic uprising next year.

3. Vuyisile Mini. On 6 November 1964, Vuvisile Mini was hanged for refusing to give evidence against an ANC stalwart, Wilton Mkwayi.

4. Then there so many others from the Cape such as Cissie Gool, Hennie Ferrus, Sarah and Fred Carneson, Ashley Kriel and Anton Fransch, Oscar Mpheta, Dulcie September, Ray Alexander, Elizabeth Abrahams (former MP), Johnny Issel, Professor Jakes Gerwel, ‘Dullah’ Omar and Amy Biehl.

5. Lastly, one notes a few individuals who were with us in B Section on Robben Island. While we in the ANC were many, they came to the Island as members of political organisations with few members. Neville Alexander was one of only about ten from his party. Eddie Daniels was the only Liberal Party member there. We did not treat each other as members of different political parties. We worked together as prisoners. When we elected the Prison Council in our section, our first chairperson was Fikile Bam, also not a member of the ANC.

We sometimes forget that freedom came at huge costs and sacrifices and that many of those scars have not yet had time to heal. We sometimes forget that 1994 was only about the start of a new journey and not the final destination itself.

For instance, I recently took two groups of veterans from the city to Robben Island. Among them was a lady who is 105 years old!  What surprised me was that a good many of these veterans, who were born and raised on the Cape Flats, had never even seen the Waterfront, let alone Robben Island. I can never forget their excitement and gratitude.

Cape Town ranks amongst the most beautiful cities in the world. It is oldest city in our country; hence its title as the Mother City. It has a diverse population. Historically, it is the home of the Khoi and San – the indigenous populations of this country. In it lies the legacy of the Dutch and British settlers and the origins and home to the mixed race population known under apartheid as the ‘Cape Coloureds’. The Malay slaves of Muslim extraction brought by the Dutch have also left an indelible mark on this city, as did the Xhosa-speakers from the Eastern Cape. Cape Town is also home to me since I have spent a considerable part of my life here.

But for all its natural beauty, there is a dark side to Cape Town. Its history of slavery; the dispossession of land of the indigenous peoples; and the social, economic, geographic and psychological dislocation caused by forced removals  haunt us to this day. It manifests itself in unemployment, dire poverty, drug addiction and gangsterism in the insalubrious racially segregated areas of the apartheid era.

Presently, our poor and working-class people continue to remain in the distant peripheries of our city with inferior shelter and housing, dysfunctional educational facilities, lack of security and poorly resourced police stations. A lack of proper sanitation deprives people of human dignity. Low paid workers spend an inordinate percentage of their wages simply travelling to and from work. They have little time to spend with their families. This is unsustainable.

Lately, I have been hearing a lot about the things that “must fall”, like #FeesMustFall at our universities, including the rain that must fall. I want to dwell a bit on “what must rise” in order to take us forward as a city and as a country.

We must build a future of justice, equality and dignity for each and every person in Cape Town, and indeed, in our country, so that each citizen can aspire to and achieve to their fullest potential.

The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation’s recent report demonstrates how we remain a racially fractured society. It is disconcerting that after 20 years into our democracy, race trumps our South African identity.

It is in this context that the Kathrada Foundation, together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and some 60 civil society organisations, has launched the Anti-Racism Network South Africa (ARNSA). The objective is to promote national unity and a non-racial identity. But this is only achieved if we can build a decent, fair life for all in our cities.

Cape Town has an important role to play. I was especially pleased to have been invited to the launch of the City’s anti-racism campaign. The prejudices that people who are not white experience in restaurants, schools, universities, at work and sometimes even at places of worship are all indicators that racism is very much alive and with us in post-apartheid South Africa. The Campaign of the City should give hope to all its citizens that racism in all its forms will not be tolerated.

We will, however, only get close to this when the disparities that exist today are eliminated. It is only when all citizens feel and experience the full benefits of living in an inclusive city, that the sense of grievance will abate. It is my hope that in the quest to overcome these divisions and inequality, we will find ways of co-operating across political and ideological grounds.

When I was given the Freedom of the City in Johannesburg, I noted that we can only be satisfied and happy when every child:

- Wakes up in a warm house;

- Has a nutritious breakfast;

-  Is able to say a loving goodbye to both parents;

- Goes to school in safe and reliable transport;

- Is met at school by teachers who are there on time, ready and able to teach;

- Has the necessary textbooks when the school year starts;

-  Has access to a decent library, science laboratories and computers;

- Participates in sports, music and knows the history of the country,

- Sees everybody as equal, irrespective of colour or religion;

- Returns home safely from school;

- Can play children’s games in a park that is clean and safe;

- Can walk back home guided by street lights that are on;

- Will have a nourishing supper in the company of both parents;

- Will enjoy being read to by either parent;

- Will be able to make the best use of all the life opportunities that a free South Africa has to offer;

- Will live in a South Africa that is free of crime, corruption, rape, greed and crass opportunism; and

- Will live in a South Africa where there is a guarantee that there will never, ever be another Marikana-type incident.

Speech by Ahmed Kathrada on receiving the Freedom of the City of Cape Town

Honourable Mayor, Ms. Patricia De Lille, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It is a privilege and honour to accept the Freedom of the City of Cape Town. It is flattering and gratifying to know that the decision was unanimously supported by all the parties. For this gesture, I must express my sincere thanks and appreciation.

Directly related to this, I recall how pleasantly surprised I was when the Honourable Mayor decided to come all the way to my flat in Cape Town to inform me of this honour.

I have known Madam Mayor since 1994, when we both served as Members of Parliament in the first democratically elected government led by our beloved Madiba. I stepped down as Member of Parliament, after expiry of my first term, in 1999.

With due respect to you Madam Mayor; in accepting this worthy gesture, I wish to dedicate it to several men and women – who would have been more worthy recipients of this honour. I have in mind:  

- Dulcie September, who was assassinated in Paris by apartheid agents;

- Ashley Kriel, killed by the police in July 1987;

- Anton Franch - on 17 November 1989, Anton was killed after his lone 7 hour gun-battle with a 30-member police squad;

- Vuyisile Mini - on 6 November 1964, Vuvisile Mini was hanged for refusing to give evidence against ANC Stalwart Wilton Mkwayi;

- Amy Biehl - on 26 August 1993, the 26-year-old American Fulbright scholar was stabbed to death in Gugulethu by a group of youth shouting, “Kill the settler”; and               

- The 600 unarmed Soweto school kids, who in 1976 were mowed down by the police.

The death of these martyrs reminds us of how protected we were in prison. No policemen could come to Robben Island and shoot or tear-gas us.        

Madam Mayor, I have been a resident of Cape Town for a very long time. For 26 years I was an involuntary inmate of two jails that fall in your constituencies: Robben Island and Pollsmoor.

Thereafter, I lived here voluntarily for 5 years while serving in President Mandela’s office; and another 7 years as Chairperson of Robben Island Museum Council, during which time I was given a house on Robben Island. 

This reminds me, the late Ismail Meer, my elder brother, friend and mentor remarked:

“We struggled to get Kathy out of Robben Island. Now, whenever I phone for Kathy, I’m told, ‘He’s on Robben Island. We succeeded in getting him out of Robben Island, but we have failed to get Robben Island out of him.’”

Now, as a pensioner, I still continue to be an on and off casual citizen of Cape Town. I spend a fair part of my retirement time as an unpaid professional tour guide. Since my release, I have accompanied individuals and groups to Robben Island more than 300 times. And I continue to go there.

A couple of months ago, after returning from Robben Island with the Cuban 5, I was asked by a media person: “Are you excited?”

By a slip of the tongue, unthinkingly, I allowed myself to betray my life-long bonds with Cuba by saying, “No I took Beyoncé to Robben Island.” I hope Blade Nzimande doesn’t hear this!       

Madam Mayor, I have recently taken two groups of Cape Town veterans from the Cape Flats to Robben Island. Among them was a lady who is 105 years old! What surprised me was; these veterans were born and raised on the Cape Flats and most of them had never even seen the Waterfront, let alone Robben Island. I can never forget their excitement and gratitude.

Madam Mayor, please forgive me for my arrogance by daring to make a suggestion to you. When you advertise “must see” spots in Cape Town for tourists, will you kindly consider including Robben Island?  Among its numerous messages, the one that stands out is: “Robben Island represents the triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil.” Seldom in the world’s history, has there been a similar dramatic development; literally, within a short space of time; from prison to Parliament, to President.

Issued by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, 26 November 2015