Zamiwonga James Kati (4 January 1924 – 29 September 2006) was a South African politician and

anti-apartheid activist The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), was a British organisation that was at the centre of the international movement opposing the South African apartheid, apartheid system and supporting South Africa's non-White population who were persecuted by ...

who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly until his death in 2006. He joined the ANC in 1949 and was a member of the Umkhonto we Sizwe underground in the Transkei.

Early life and activism

Kati was born on 4 January 1924 in Luheweni, a village in Ngcobo in the former Cape Province. He joined the ANC in Cape Town in 1949 and was first arrested in 1952 during the Defiance Campaign. After the ANC was banned by the apartheid government in 1960, he became a leading member of its underground in the region that became the Transkei bantustan. He also joined the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, where he was known by the ''nom de guerre'' Castro. He was detained for his political activities on several occasions and was imprisoned on Robben Island between September 1964 and July 1971. He served another six-year prison sentence in the 1980s. After the

democratic transition Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It may be a hybrid regime in transition from an authoritarian regime to a full ...

, he testified to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that he had been severely tortured while in detention.

Legislative career

Kati was not initially elected to Parliament in South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, but he joined the National Assembly during the legislative term that followed, filling a casual vacancy in the ANC's caucus. He was not immediately re-elected in the next general election in 1999 but returned on 3 July 2001, filling the casual vacancy that had arisen when

Smangaliso Mkhatshwa Smangaliso Mkhatshwa History He described an experience as follows: See also * 1977 in South Africa References * African National Congress. n.d. Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, ANC Metro Mayor Candidate – Pretori* ABC Radio National, Australia. ...

was elected Mayor of Tshwane in 2000. Kati was re-elected in

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

, representing the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

constituency, and at the time of his death, aged 82, he was the oldest serving Member of Parliament.

Personal life and death

Kati's wife died during apartheid while he was imprisoned. He was hospitalised in Umtata in 2006 and died on 29 September. ANC deputy president

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...

spoke at his funeral.

References

External links

Testimony to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kati, James 1920s births 2006 deaths People from Ngcobo African National Congress politicians 20th-century South African politicians 21st-century South African politicians Anti-apartheid activists UMkhonto we Sizwe personnel Members of the National Assembly of South Africa