Cape Town - About 600 people are expected to be in attendance when former Robben Island prisoner Ahmed Kathrada receives the Freedom of the City on Thursday.
Kathrada will be in some illustrious company - former recipients include the late Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and, Barack and Michelle Obama.
The decision to award Kathrada with the Freedom of the City was made by a full council vote earlier this year.
The award is the highest honour the city council can bestow.
It is awarded to individuals, organisations or military units that distinguish themselves through their heroic service.
Kathrada was sentenced during the Rivonia Trial, and served 18 years of his 26 year term on Robben Island.
He was released in 1989, and in 1994 was elected to Parliament and appointed as Mandela’s parliamentary counsellor.
Kathrada, who recently turned 86, said he was privileged to be receiving the award, but added that being chosen for the award “remained a mystery” to him.
“It is gratifying to know that the decision was supported unanimously by all political parties in the city council.
“Why I have been granted this award, remains a mystery to me.
“I would like to think that as an involuntary guest of the city for 26 years I rendered eminent services to it.
“This is also questionable though, when you consider that we paid no rates or taxes to the city, while we merely existed as political prisoners on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison.”
He added that he would accept the award on behalf of the many men and women who sacrificed “life and limb to bring about a non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic society”.
The guests include members of Kathrada’s family, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Nelson Mandela Foundation and senior national politicians.
Mayor Patricia de Lille’s spokeswoman, Pierrinne Leukes, said Kathrada was chosen “as a token of appreciation for the heroic service he has rendered to our country and the sacrifices which he made for our freedom during the Struggle”. A number of roads will be temporarily closed for most of the day on Thursday in preparation for the event:
* Darling Street - closed between Plein to Buitenkant streets.
* Corporation Street - closed between Darling and Longmarket streets.
* Parade Street - closed between Darling to Longmarket streets.
Motorists are advised to use alternative routes and to anticipate some congestion in the area over the period of the closures.
Cape Argus
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