QUICK FACTS
Date of Birth
1929
Schweizer-Reneke, Western Transvaal, South Africa
Place of Birth
Why Featured?
Ahmed Kathrada, a prominent anti-apartheid activist, extended his advocacy for justice to include staunch support for the Palestinian cause, linking the struggles against apartheid in South Africa to the fight against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
BRIEF BIO
Ahmed Kathrada was a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, and lifelong advocate for human rights. He was a close confidant of Nelson Mandela and spent 26 years in prison, most of them on Robben Island. After the end of apartheid, Kathrada continued his activism, particularly focusing on Palestinian rights, recognizing the similarities between the struggles of South Africans and Palestinians.
LAST UPDATED
DATE
Monday, January 26, 2026
MAJOR MILESTONES
Key dates & turning points
1941: Joined the anti-apartheid movement at the age of 12, becoming involved in youth activism.
1964: Sentenced to life imprisonment at the Rivonia Trial, alongside Nelson Mandela and other leaders, for his role in the anti-apartheid movement.
1989: Released from prison after 26 years, becoming a symbol of resilience and resistance against oppression.
1994: Elected to the South African Parliament and served as President Mandela’s Parliamentary Counsellor, declining a ministerial position to remain focused on his advocacy work.
2013: Launched the International Campaign to Free Marwan Barghouti and All Palestinian Prisoners, aligning his legacy of fighting apartheid with the Palestinian struggle.
CONTRIBUTIONS
What they did, and why it matters
International Campaign to Free Marwan Barghouti: In 2013, Kathrada launched the International Campaign to Free Marwan Barghouti and All Palestinian Prisoners, which drew global attention to the plight of Palestinian political prisoners, likening their struggle to that of South African anti-apartheid fighters.
Advocacy for Palestinian Rights: Kathrada was a vocal critic of Israeli policies in Palestine, using his international platform to advocate for Palestinian self-determination and an end to the occupation...See More
Support for BDS Movement: Kathrada supported the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, encouraging the international community to pressure Israel through economic and cultural boycotts, similar to the strategies used against apartheid South Africa.
Public Speaking on Palestine: He frequently spoke at international forums, drawing parallels between the apartheid regime in South Africa and the Israeli occupation, thereby influencing global opinion and encouraging solidarity with the Palestinian cause...See More
Connecting South African and Palestinian Struggles: Through his writings and speeches, Kathrada consistently highlighted the similarities between the struggles of Palestinians and black South Africans, fostering a greater understanding of the Palestinian issue among South Africans and the global anti-apartheid community.
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Last updated
Jan 26, 2026
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