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Nelson Mandela called him “a person of strong opinion and sharp insight”.

To all of us at the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF), Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada is more than a hero of the South African liberation struggle. He is “Mr K” – a lovable and loving friend of Nelson Mandela for 67 years and a long-time friend of the NMF. Having served Mr Mandela as his Parliamentary Counsellor for the five years of his term as President of South Africa, Mr K stepped down when Mr Mandela decided not to run for a second term. Mr Mandela invited him to serve as a Trustee of his post-presidential office – which became known as the Nelson Mandela Foundation – which he did from 1999 until 2016.

The United Nations has called attention to the wave of attacks in South Africa targeting foreigners living in the country. The attacks in South Africa have spawned calls for retaliation on South African businesses and nationals in Nigeria. The UN news site, the UN Dispatch, reports that youth groups have been the major drivers in this violence, and it goes on to quote an open letter by Ugandan youth leader and Tutu Fellow Victor Ochen. In his open letter, Ochen says that while the youth have been at the center of the attacks, they can also be part of the solution. He called on youth leaders in Africa to embrace non-violence.