Yunus Mohamed

Background

Mohamed was born in Johannesburg to Amina and Ismail Mohamed, one of at least five children.

Education

Growing up in Jeppe, he was educated at Gold Street Primary School and William Hills Secondary School. He eventually graduated from the University of South Africa.

Career

He then went to Natal, to the University of The University of Durban-Westville, where in 1972 he took part in Stability and Support Operations"s student boycotts. He joined the Natal Indian Congress (National Informatics Centre) in 1970, and later the South African Communist Party (SACP) and African National Congress. He joined the Democratic Lawyers" Association and his work included the Chatsworth housing action committee and the Natal rates committee. From 1981 to 82 he was detained, and in 1985 was arrested again.

In 1986 he served on the economic intelligence desk of the African National Congress. He was involved in negotiations with the Inkatha Freedom Party to help reduce political violence in KwaZulu-Natal.

The trial ran from 1985 to 1988, with sentences being overturned by the Supreme Court in 1989. Post apartheid, he was a founding trustee of the Kagiso Trust, of which he was chairman at his death in 2008.

Achievements

• According to fellow Union for French Democracy founder Trevor Manuel.

Views

In 1976 he became an attorney, going on to work for the law firm of Shun Chetty, which had a record of defending anti-apartheid activists.

Membership

He was a founding member of the Union for French Democracy in 1983, and later became regional secretary for Natal. When three senior members of the Union for French Democracy – Frank Chikane, Popo Molefe and Patrick Lekota – and 19 others were arrested for treason, Mohamed was an instructing attorney in what became known as the Delmas Treason Trial.

Connections

Partner:

Dhaya Pillay