Friday, August 27, 2021
Friday, August 20, 2021
LAUNCH OF UNITED DEMOCRATIC FRONT IN AUGUST 1983 - THREE TOP LEADERS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN ELECTED TO OFFICE
INDIAN-ORIGIN LEADERS CHOSEN AS OFFICIALS OF NEW ANTI-APARTHEID ORGANISATION
(George Sewpersadh)
When the national anti-apartheid organisation, United Democratic Movement (UDF), was launched in Cape Town on 20 August 1983, three South Africans of Indian-origin were appointed to top positions in the UDF.
I attended the launch and filed stories to the Press Trust of India (PTI) and media outlets around the world.
The article was published in the Indian Express, among others, under the headline: “S. African Indians in UDF cabinet” on August 22 1983.
The story read:
Durban, Aug 22 (PTI): Three prominent South African Indians have been elected to the cabinet of a newly-established anti-apartheid organisation, the United Democratic Front (UDF), to fight for full political rights for the country’s 24 million African people.
Mr George Sewpersadh, president of the Natal Indian Congress, Mr Mewa Ramgobin, executive member of the Congress, and Professor Jerry Coovadia were all elected when the UDF was launched in Cape Town on Saturday, reports the Press Trust of South Africa.
The other officials include Mrs Albertina Sisulu, wife of the jailed leader, Mr Walter Sisulu; Mr Oscar Mpetha, prominent black trade union leader; and Mr Archie Gumede, president of the Release Mandela Committee.
The conference, which was attended by more than 10 000 black and white people representing more than 400 organisations, unanimously resolved to reject the Pretoria Government’s new constitutional proposals which aim to co-opt the coloured and Indian-origin people into the apartheid decision-making processes.
The conference elected a number of patrons, including the imprisoned leader, Mr Nelson Mandela, and his fellow prison leaders, Mr Thabo Mbeki, Mr Ahmed Kathrada, and Mr Walter Sisulu. Ends – Press Trust of SA Aug 22 1983