Last week, our dear friend and comrade Ayanda Kota was diagnosed very unexpectedly with cancer and SIADH (Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion).

A private hospital made the diagnosis following a very frightening time for Ayanda and his family. Ayanda had been hospitalised in a public facility where he was given inadequate care.

Comrades rallied and were able to have Ayanda transferred in a high-care ambulance to a private hospital, where he has been receiving intensive care for almost two weeks. Several tests, including biopsies, have been undertaken. Ayanda’s condition has improved considerably, but he is still in hospital and will be for some time. He is still unable to walk and has only recently been able to feed himself again.

The costs of diagnosing Ayanda and saving his life have exhausted the funds available. Costs are mounting, and we urgently need your help to save the life of this valuable activist who has led many critical grassroots struggles.

Your donations here will cover the costs of medication not covered by the public health system, continued hospitalisation for Ayanda as his doctors deem necessary, medical services, cancer treatment, palliative care and some of the day-to-day costs involved in caring for Ayanda.

A committee made up of immediate family members and comrades have formed a fund that will manage all resources raised to help Ayanda beat this terrible illness. Ayanda is in his 40s and has a young family to care for – a partner and four young children still in school. His family urgently needs your support at this time. All support will be gratefully accepted – no donation is too small.

*AIDC has made its Trust Account available to receive donations. Please use Ayanda Kota’s name as the reference. AIDC has also undertaken to track the contributions and report regularly on what amounts have come in.

Aidc Trust
Standard Bank
Account number 071377689
025009 Rondebosch
Current account
Swift code SBZA ZAJJ*

About Ayanda:
Ayanda is a leading South African anti-corruption activist and organiser. One of the founder members of Makhanda’s Unemployed Peoples’ Movement (UPM), Ayanda has been instrumental in organising thousands of unemployed people in Makhanda to take on the corrupt municipality and advance a politics of love that aims at addressing the dehumanising conditions of the poor and the unemployed.

Those who have worked with Ayanda can attest that he has worked tirelessly for many years, never tiring of trying to mobilise people to fight for a better life for all. In 2020, as a result of two years of hard work led by Ayanda, the Makana municipality was ordered to dissolve by the High Court for failing to meet its Constitutional obligations to provide essential services to residents of the town. His long-time friend Jeff Budaza was murdered for trying to stamp out corruption from within the municipality, and Ayanda has, on more than one occasion, had to go into hiding. Ayanda has also never accepted bribes so often given to activists to encourage them to toe the line and join “the caravan of corruption” (to quote Frantz Fanon).

Ayanda has dedicated his life to serving his community. Now, it is time for us to show him that we care by contributing to helping us save his life and help his loved ones in times of need.