Early life Kotane was born in
Pella in Maphusumaneng Section,
Transvaal (now
North West) to a devout Christian family of Batswana origins. He received little formal schooling prior to entering the workforce. In 1922 at the age of 17, Kotane began his working in
Krugersdorp, where he worked in various jobs including as a photographer's assistant, domestic servant, miner, and bakery worker.
Trade unionism and early party politics In 1928, Kotane joined the
African National Congress but left it, considering it weak and ineffectual. Kotane was also a leading member of the
African National Congress at the same time as the SACP. With the
African National Congress, Kotane served as Treasurer General from 1963 to 1973 when he was replaced by
Thomas Nkobi. Kotane, representing the Communist Party, attended the
1955 Asian-African Conference in
Bandung,
Indonesia. From 1956 to 1961, Kotane was a defendant in the
Treason Trial alongside fellow South African leaders
Nelson Mandela,
Joe Modise,
Albert Luthuli,
Joe Slovo,
Walter Sisulu and 151 others. Despite years of prosecution, none of the defendants, including Kotane, were convicted. Kotane was survived by his wife, Rebecca. She died in
Soweto in January 2021 at the age of 108. ==Honours==