Ahmed Kathrada was born in the small country town of Schweizer-Reneke in the Western Transvaal, the fourth of six children in a Gujarati Bohra family of South African Indian immigrant parents from Surat, Gujarat.
Ahmed Kathrada lahir di Schweizer-Reneke di Transvaal Barat,ia merupakan anak keempat dari enam anak di keluarga Gujarati Bohra orang tuanya imigran India Afrika Selatan dari Surat, Gujarat.