Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has accused DA leader John Steenhuisen of using the struggle icon’s history as currency to campaign for his party, adding that the DA didn’t appreciate Kathrada when he was alive and missed his funeral.
The foundation was responding to Steenhuisen’s address in Chatsworth, a Durban suburb predominantly populated by the Indian community, last weekend, where Steenhuisen led the party’s “defiance campaign against ANC race quotas”.
News24 reported that Steenhuisen criticised the ANC’s draft targets regarding the Employment Equity Amendment Act, which has been published for comment.
He reflected on Kathrada’s history, upbringing and his role in the fight for freedom.
“He was jailed for his defiance campaign before he was even 20 years old. Many years later, he was imprisoned for life as part of the Rivonia Trial. He spent 18 years on Robben Island. I’m sharing this story with you because I’d like all of us here to consider what Uncle Kathy would say about the ANC’s new racial quota law,” Steenhuisen said.
But the foundation said Steenhuisen mischievously linked Kathrada’s history to the issue and accused him of using it as currency to campaign for his party.
“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 short-term party political gains advanced through performative politics,” it said.
It called on political parties to refrain from using liberation heroes in their election campaigns.
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