Kathrada funeral bashes Zuma

Although he wasn't physically present, President Jacob Zuma's presence loomed large at the funeral of struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

President Jacob Zuma did not attend Ahmed Kathrada's funeral, abiding by his family's wishes for him to stay away.

'President Zuma will not attend the funeral and memorial service in compliance with the wishes of the family,' said a statement ahead of the funeral of one of the last Rivonia trialists, and one of Zuma's fellow prisoners on Robben Island.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa led the government delegation attending the funeral and Wednesday's Cabinet meeting was postponed to accommodate the ministers attending the funeral. Almost all current and former top ANC leaders including ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, attended Kathrada's send-off.

Zuma postponed yesterday's Cabinet meeting to allow ministers to attend the funeral led by Ramaphosa.

Amidst speculation of a Cabinet reshuffle that could see finance minister Pravin Gordhan axed, it was hard not to read into some of the comments by mourners direct and indirect criticism of Zuma's recent actions against Gordhan as they delivered tributes to the ANC struggle stalwarts.

The biggest moment was when former president Kgalema Motlanthe quoted a letter Kathrada penned almost a year ago asking Zuma to step down, that was followed by a standing ovation and a thundering applause by mourners, including some of Zuma's ministers like Gordhan and health minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

EFF leader Julius Malema and former Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi were also on their feet to support Kathrada's call for Zuma to resign.

Ramaphosa and former president Thabo Mbeki did not stand.



'Feeding frenzy'

“It would be disingenuous to pay tribute to the life of comrade Ahmed Kathrada and pretend that he was not deeply disturbed by the current post-apartheid failures of politics,” Motlanthe said in his speech.

Motlanthe unsuccessfully challenged Zuma for the position of ANC president at the party's 2012 national conference in Mangaung.

Motlanthe also bemoaned the fact that Kathrada's letter went without any formal reply.

“Comrade Kathy took exception to the current culture of feeding frenzy, moral corruption, societal depravity, political dissolution, the gross sleaze enveloping human minds that would put to shame to even some of the vilest political orders known to human history,” Motlanthe said.

Another standing ovation came when the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation's CEO Neeshan Balton acknowledged the presence of Gordhan and asked him to stand.

“Irrespective of whether you are a minister or not in days or weeks to come, you remain true to the values and principles that Kathrada would be proud of,” Balton said to Gordhan, who was earlier seen wiping away a tear when he was introduced.

He said when Gordhan was facing corruption charges over an early pension pay-out for a SARS employee, Kathrada was ready to stand by his side.

“When Pravin was to go to court, Kathy said 'I want to be the first one to accompany him to court',” Balton said. Cosatu secretary-general Bheki Ntshalintshali threw in a jab about those absent at the burial of the “finest son of the soil”.

“I believe that all of us who are here today, we never received any invitation to come here, we were invited by the work and contribution of comrade Kathy Kathrada,” Ntshalintshali said. He appealed for honesty and bravery from leaders of the movement and said the ANC does not belong to an individual.

His message also had a solemn warning. “Comrade Kathy, leaders are not organisations. We must separate leaders from organisations. Leaders will come and go but organisations will remain… No matter how popular you may be, never for a moment think that you are bigger than the organisation,” Ntshalintshali said to applause.



'Incorruptable'

Mantashe described Kathrada as incorruptible in both his politics and personal life.

“He belonged to a generation described by (anti-apartheid activist) Yusuf Dadoo at the funeral of comrade Moses Kotane. He was incorruptible, not only in his politics, but also in his personal life. He was a man you knew could never let you down or do something behind your back and never deceive you,” said Mantashe. He said he always knew where he stood with Kathrada.

“Sometimes his words were harsh and hurtful, but never dishonest,” said Mantashe.

He said he had hoped Kathrada's passing would assist those in the party to pull together.



Deadline

Former ANC treasurer Mathews Phosa added his voice to the fray saying the African National Congress has until December to honour the late Ahmed Kathrada's call for President Jacob Zuma to resign.

“The ANC need to come to their senses and resolve their problems before it is too late or they will bury themselves alive,” he told News24 in a telephonic interview.

He was speaking shortly before leaving to attend the ANC veteran's funeral at Westpark Cemetery.

“The 17 December conference will be a trying moment for them if they do not make up their mind and honour our fallen cadre's wishes to remove Jacob Zuma,” he said, referring to the party's elective conference.

He always seconded Kathrada's call for Zuma to resign.

“Uncle Kathy took a stand against Zuma and was not afraid to speak the truth; I have always supported him on his call for Zuma to step down and I know that now is a better time than ever.”

Phosa said SA had lost an unblemished soul and a man with dignity and moral standing. He represented everything that was good about ANC.

Phosa said every ANC cadre should commit to memory Kathrada's 2016 letter to Zuma to resign.

“A president is one that must at all times unite this country behind a vision and programme that seeks to make tomorrow a better day than today for all South Africans. It is a position that requires the respect of all South Africans, which of course must be earned at all times,” Kathrada wrote. Kathrada died in hospital in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning and was laid to rest at the West Park cemetery in Johannesburg.

In his absence, Zuma offered condolences for the loss of one of the nation's 'valuable and most respected freedom fighters'.

He said: “The passing of Mr Kathrada is a monumental loss not only to his family, but to all South Africans as he was one of the fearless and dedicated architects of the free and democratic South Africa.”

Zuma said he had sacrificed his personal freedom and persevered through hardships for the liberation of all South Africa and to create a democratic, non-racial, peaceful and prosperous South Africa.

NEWS24