Cape Town - The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has slammed DA leader John Steenhuisen, accusing him of attempting to use Struggle stalwarts’ contributions in a “crude vote-catching and fear-mongering” exercise.
This follows a campaign rally in Durban, where Steenhuisen visited Chatsworth, an area mainly populated by members of the Indian community, and delivered a speech titled “It’s time for a Defiance Campaign against ANC race quotas”, criticising the proposed Employment Equity Amendment Act.
Steenhuisen spoke about how “Uncle Kathy”, with family roots going back to the Indian state of Gujarat, went on to play a seminal role in the fight against racial segregation.
“He was sent to jail for his defiance campaign before he was even 20 years old. Many years later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment as part of the Rivonia trial. He spent 18 years on Robben Island. I’m sharing this because I’d like all of us to consider what Uncle Kathy would say about the ANC’s new racial quota law,” said Steenhuisen.
The DA in Gauteng also took to social media and tweeted: “Almost 100 years ago, Ahmed Kathrada fought against racial segregation. We wonder what he would say about the ANC’s new racial quota law. Let’s fight against racial injustice, together.”
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said it wondered where the DA’s appreciation was when Kathrada died.
“Not a single DA national leader chose to attend his funeral. One wonders where this appreciation was throughout the years after his release from prison, where there was no attempt by the DA to engage him to better understand his political values and life.
“Without this one wonders how the DA can even attempt to claim to know what his responses to current issues would be.
“The disturbing point is that the DA narrative assumes Kathrada would have been enthusiastic about its call for defiance of a law that will be approved by a democratic Parliament. And that he would have done so because he was Indian,” said the foundation.
The foundation requested all political parties to refrain from using the names of liberation heroes such Kathrada in their election campaigns.
“He would be appalled at attempts to elevate his ‘Indianness’ and Struggle contribution in a crude vote-catching and fear-mongering exercise as the DA has done.
“Kathrada would have urged all actions by individuals and political parties to be guided by a deep conviction to political principles, and not to short-term party political gains advanced through performative politics,” it said.
Steenhuisen’s spokesperson, Charity McCord, said: “The DA leader has no comment.”
Cape Times