Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 07-04-2017

Ahmed Kathrada’s best friend and fellow Robben Islander Laloo Chiba says the struggle icon would’ve been happy to see thousands of South Africans standing in solidarity against the blind pursuit of power and self-enrichment.

Chiba was speaking at the memorial service of the struggle stalwart at the Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital in Lenasia today.

The hospital formally known as Lenmed Clinic was renamed the Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital last year in honour of the anti-Apartheid icon.

Chiba says Kathrada was of the view that the time had had come for President Jacob Zuma to stand down.

“He felt by standing down it would be in the best interests of the country. He was also of the view that should he stand down, that would not solve all the problems that would be the beginning of the renewal of the ANC.”

As thousands of people marched across the country calling for Zuma to resign after his cabinet reshuffle, Chiba says people have a democratic right to march and express their feelings about the current political climate in the country.

At the same time CEO & Chairman of the Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital Prakash Devchand says the renaming of Lenmed after the struggle icon was of great significance and an honour.

“How many people do you find in the world who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the community as a whole and I found it amazing that somebody could do that for us. It was important for us to show that we support the man, we believed in what he said and we want to carry on with his legacy.”

The Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital says it shares the ideals and objectives of the struggle icon which is to promote the values, rights and principles enshrined in the constitution.