RADIO DOCUMENTARY ON THE LIFE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST – PADDY KEARNEY – WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY ON NOVEMBER 23 (2018) AT THE AGE OF 76

(PADDY KEARNEY (CENTRE) WITH BISHOP EMERITUS RUBIN PHILIP AND STRUGGLE VETERAN, SWAMINATHAN GOUNDEN, AT A FUNCTION HELD FOR THE LATE STRUGGLE STALWART, MEWA RAMGOBIN.) Paddy Kearney, who was born in Pietermaritzburg in August 1942, was one of the activists who worked with churches to promote the struggle against apartheid and the concept of a non-racial and democratic South Africa. Kearney, who was the Director of the Diakonia Council of Churches for 28 years, was one of the “behind the scenes” activists who contributed enormously to the struggles against apartheid and white minority rule. Veteran journalist, Subry Govender, who befriended the social activist since the early 1970s, compiled this radio documentary in 2008 on the life of Kearney. When the interview was conducted, Kearney had just published his book, Guardian of Light, on the life of the late anti-apartheid leader, Catholic Arcbishop of Durban, Denis Hurley. At the time of his death he was chairperson of the Denis Hurley Centre Trust. The struggle activist was bestowed with a memorial service by the provincial KwaZulu-Natal Government at the Durban City Hall on Thursday, November 29. The function was held under the theme: “Celebrating the life and work of Paddy Kearney” and was addressed, among others, by the Premier of the KwaZulu-Natal province – Mr Willie Mchunu – and former Anglican leader and former chairperson of Diakonia, Bishop Emeritus Rubin Philip. This radio package (BY SUBRY GOVENDER )-

is being published on internet as a tribute to Kearney for his self-less contributions to the promotion of a non-racial, just and democratic South Africa.

Dr Kesaval Goonam - a full interview conducted in November 1995

(Dr Kesaval Goonam when she went on her first visit to India) INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY SUBRY GOVENDER

(PHOTOS - COURTESY OF GOONAM'S "COOLIE DOCTOR" AUTOBIOGRAPHY)

Barack Obama on Nelson Mandela

Dr KESAVELOO GOONAM – A FIREBRAND POLITICAL ACTIVIST REMEMBERED WHEN SOUTH AFRICANS OF INDIAN-ORIGIN OBSERVE THE 158TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR ANCESTORS FROM INDIA

(DR KESAVELOO GOONAM WEARING THE GANDHI CAP DURING ONE OF THE PASSIVE RESISTANCE CAMPAIGNS) (NB: PHOTOS OBTAINED FROM DR GOONAM'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY: "COOLIE DOCTOR") BY SUBRY GOVENDER

At a time when we are observing the 158th anniversary of the arrival of our indentured ancestors to South Africa, it is important that we also recall the vital role played by our early leaders for a non-racial and democratic future. One such leader who took up the struggles of indentured labourers and their children on the sugar estates is South Africa’s first Indian woman medical practitioner, Dr Kesaveloo Goonam. Veteran political journalist, Subry Govender, who had the privilege of interviewing Dr Goonam in November 1995, writes that Dr Goonam was a firebrand leader who refused to be cowed into submission either by conservative Indian traditions or the colonial and apartheid oppressors… .

(Dr Kesaveloo Goonum (far left standing) with her family members in Durban) DR GOONUM VISITS THE MOUNT EDGECOME SUGAR BARRACKS TO CHECK THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE "COOLIE" SUGAR WORKERS It was in the early 1940s, four years after Dr Kesaveloo Goonam returned home to Durban after qualifying as a doctor at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, that she and a fellow activist, Dr Monty Naicker, visited the Mount Edgecombe sugar barracks on the north coast of Natal to see a traditional Tamil dance show called Therookutoo. While they were there they decided to visit the barracks in order to check how the people were living. “We found the people living in hutments and in conditions of abject poverty. We were horrified that people were being kept in slavery and bondage-like conditions after they had contributed enormously to the sugar estates since their arrival more than 80 years earlier. “It was their slave work that brought about the prosperity for the sugar plantations and their bosses. Monty and I decided there and then that we needed to capture the Natal Indian Congress from the conservative forces to take up the struggles of the people in the sugar estates and in the urban areas.” INTERVIEW IN NOVEMBER 1995 Dr Goonam was talking to this correspondent in November 1995 about her life as a social, political and community activist and leader. Five years earlier in 1990 she had returned from political exile after fleeing the country for the second time in 1977. She had voted in the first democratic elections in April 1994 and I wanted to know more about her early life and her political, social and community work on behalf of the people. Born in the Grey Street area of Durban in 1906, Dr Goonam stood up for her rights from an early age when her father, R K Naidoo, came under the influence of his fellow conservative business friends. They did not want him to send her away to Scotland to study to become a doctor because she would lose her cultural identity. But despite the reservations by her father, she won the support of her mother, Thangatchee, and eventually in 1928 departed from the Durban Harbour on a ship to England. On board the same ship was Monty Naicker, who was President of the Natal and South African Indian Congresses in the hey days of the struggles 1950s and 1960s. He was also travelling to Scotland to study medicine.

(DR GOONAM AFTER QUALIFYING IN 1936) Life was not easy for Dr Goonam because she missed being away from home and also experienced financial constraints. But she persevered and succeeded in qualifying as the first Indian woman doctor in South Africa. She returned home in 1936. Despite the early struggles to set up her practice, she became dragged into the political, social and community struggles. After enjoying freedom and liberty in the United Kingdom for eight long years, she could not accept the discrimination and the human rights violations perpetrated by the former colonial and apartheid regimes in South Africa. She soon became involved in social and community organisations such as Child Welfare and FOSA, and the Passive Resistance campaigns organised by the Natal Indian Congress. Just before she left the country to go into exile in 1977, she formed the Helping Hands Society to assist families who had been forced to move into Chatsworth from all over Clairwood, Durban, Cato Manor and other suburbs. At this time she also campaigned with Dr Monty Naicker against the South African Indian Council(SAIC), which was set up by the former National Party to divide South Africans according to racial lines.

Because of her outspoken attitude against the social, political and economical oppression of the people, she came under constant surveillance of the then dreaded security police. Some of the police officers she mentioned were Sargeant Moodley and Sargeant Niagar. Although she was a dire-hard supporter of Indian culture and languages, she had “no patience” for superstition and rituals such as the belief in “trance culture” that dominated the lives of Indian people in South Africa at that time. She was a progressive in all aspects and even dropped the Naidoo name when she started her practice in Durban. She felt that the name Naidoo was contaminated by caste and class. CAPTURED CONTROL OF NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS FROM CONSERVATIVE LEADERS In my interview in 1995, Dr Goonam told me that she and others such as Dr Naicker had to gain control of the NIC from the conservatives in order to highlight the plight of former indentured labourers and their children, both on and off the sugar cane estates. She had said: “We had liberal study groups at that time but these were not enough for us. We wanted a political organisation to be the voice of the people. We went to Kajee many times but he and P R Pather would not relent. “But we would not give up and decided to take them to court. When they found that they were not wanted anymore, they gave us letters of resignation. Together with H A Naidoo, George Poonen and George Singh, I collected the resignation letters. We went to Saville Street where the office of the NIC was situated and showed all our people that at last we had got rid of the conservatives.” DR GOONAM DID NOT COW DOWN TO WHITE RACISTS AND SUPREMACISTS She was not a person who bowed down to the “white” oppressors and related an incident when she visited the Depot Road area of Durban where people were living in terrible conditions. “The white man in charge of the place saw me and said: ‘You are a doctor. I have seen you coming around here. I see you want to talk to the people’. I said yes. He thought I was going to talk to them about medicine. “I stood on a chair and started talking to the people about the oppressive conditions in which they were living. “While I was talking the white man rushed to me and said: ‘get out, get out and stay out. I didn’t know you were going to talk about politics. I thought you were going to talk about your medical work.’ “I told him: ‘what medical work you are talking about when you keep these people in such terrible conditions’. “So I told the people they must come right outside the place so that I can talk to them. It was then that they realised it was the best medicine I can give to that white man. They listened to me and took my advice.”

(Dr Kesaveloo Goonum - photo taken when she went on a her first visit to India) MEETING PANDIT JAWAHARLALL NEHRU - INDIA'S FIRST PRIME MINISTER AFTER INDEPENDENCE IN 1947 During one of her early trips to India, she was given an audience with the first Prime Minister of India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru. She won the support of Nehru when he found that she was not a meek and submissive Indian woman. She related the incident: “After the initial introductions he asked me whether I had come with my children. I said ‘no Punditjee, my children are in England because I am now in exile’. Then he asked whether I had come with my husband. “I responded by saying I have no husband. He immediately said well how is that you got three children without a husband? I told him ‘Punditjee why can’t I have three children and more children without a husband?’ “He immediately said there was no problem and I will get whatever job I wanted. From that moment we became very friendly. Then he started to light a cigarette and began to smoke. He offered me a cigarette and I refused to accept it. He said: ‘no no I know you smoke. You don’t have to be shy about this.’ Then he lit the cigarette for me.”

(Dr GOONAM WITH FATIMA MEER AND KWAZULU LEADER, MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI. GOONAM HAD HELPED MEER IN HER NATAL EDUCATION TRUST THAT HELPED TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS FOR AFRICAN CHILDREN) With the election of Nelson Mandela as president and the emergence of the new democratic order in 1994, I had asked Dr Goonam what she thought about our new democracy and the future. She had said: “I never tasted democracy at all in this country. I did see democracy at work in England and India. I’m hoping and I have full hope for a real democratic order being born here, for us to participate and to be part of it. This is my hope and prayer every day and I hope I will succeed. “I hope more could be done for every section of the people, not just for one or two sections of the people. But for everybody. “I am very proud of our people because our people have made tremendous contributions to the social, economic and political development of our country. This has been recognised by the current political leaders.” Dr Goonam, who has written her own autobiography titled “Coolie Doctor”, died at the age of 92 in Durban in 1999. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com

TRIBUTE TO COMNRADE PADDY KEARNEY – WHO CONTRIBUTED ENORMOUSLY TO THE STRUGGLES FOR A NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRARTIC SOUTH AFRICA

(Paddy with Archbishop Denis HURLEY and Chris Nicholson in the background after he was released 17 days in 1985)

(PADDY KEARNEY (CENTRE) WITH BISHOP RUBIN PHILIP AND SWAMINATHAN GOUNDEN) November 24 2018

(PADDY KEARNEY WITH JOURNALIST WIFE CARMEL RICKARD) One of the activists who worked with churches to promote the struggle against apartheid, Paddy Kearney, has passed on in Durban on Friday, November 23 (2018) at the age of 76. Kearney, who was the Director of the Diakonia Council of Churches for 28 years, was one of the “behind the scenes” activists who contributed enormously to the struggles against apartheid and white minority rule. Veteran journalist, Subry Govender, who befriended the social activist since the early 1970s, profiled the life of Kearney, who at the time of his death was chairperson of the Denis Hurley Centre Trust.

(PADDY KEARNEY CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIAKONIA WITH MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF) It was in the mid-1980s when the struggle against apartheid was being heightened on all fronts that Paddy Kearney became a strong "behind-the-scenes" activist. At this time, he was the Director of the Diakonia Council of Churches which he had spearheaded at the request of the late Catholic Archbishop, Denis Hurley, in 1974.

(PADDY KEARNEY ADDRESSING A MEETING AT DIAKONIA IN DURBAN) “My entry into anti-apartheid activism had a great boost when M J Naidoo, who was president of the Natal Indian Congress at that time, recruited me into the Release Mandela Campaign,” Paddy Kearney told me in an interview. In addition to M J Naidoo, Paddy Kearney also came under the influence of leaders of the calibre of Dr Beyers Naude, founder of the Christian Institute and one of the General Secretaries of the South African Council of Churches; as well as Archie Gumede and Griffith Mxenge, who were also involved with the Release Mandela Campaign at that time. Born in Pietermaritzburg in August 1942 to parents who were descendants of Irish immigrants, Paddy Kearney from an early age came under the influence of the Catholic faith.

(PADDY KEARNEY ADDRESSING A MEETING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NATAL) But his social and political awareness took shape when the father of apartheid, Hendrik Verwoerd, wanted to introduce a law that would require black people to apply for permits to attend churches in so-called white group areas. “Archbishop Hurley wrote against this and other apartheid evils in his pastoral letters that were read out at St Mary’s Church in Pietermaritzburg. I was still a young school boy when it became clear to me that the Archbishop was saying that apartheid was totally unacceptable. That was very interesting to me because here was a leading figure in the Church who was saying that what the government was doing was fundamentally wrong. I was very proud of him because he spoke out so strongly against apartheid.”

(Paddy being watched by two of his staff members while a security policeman take him away in 1985)

(PADDY KEARNEY WITH MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM DETENTION IN 1985)

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(PADDY KEARNEY WITH HIS POARENTS AFTER GRADUATING AS A TEACHER) Paddy Kearney was first jolted to do something practical about the apartheid situation when he was a teacher at the Inanda Seminary, north of Durban, in 1971. He was teaching English and one of the set books was Macbeth. At this time Macbeth was being presented at the Alhambra Theatre in Durban and Paddy Kearney wanted to take his pupils to watch the play but he could not do so because the show was restricted to whites only. “It made me take action and I wrote a letter to the Daily News complaining that I was unable to take my pupils to watch the play because of the apartheid system. The actors, some of whom had come from Britain, read that article and they phoned me at the school and said they had no idea that people were being restricted from seeing the play. They said ‘We will come and present it at Inanda Seminary and you can invite all the black schools in Durban who are studying Macbeth to come there and we will give them an outdoor performance for free’. We made all the arrangements and hundreds of children sat on the lawns of the school grounds following the play with their set books open.”

After spending a year at Inanda Seminary, Paddy Kearney went to the United States as a Fullbright Scholar during the 1972-1973 academic year when he obtained his Masters Degree. After his return, he lectured at the University of Natal for three years. At the same time he worked closely with Archbishop Hurley as a member of the Catholic Church's Justice and Peace Commission. It was during this period that he was asked by Archbishop Hurley to set up Diakonia. He did all the preparatory work for the establishment of the organisation but without any intention of becoming involved on a full-time basis.

(Paddy Kearney at amemorial service for Ahmed Kathrada in 2016 that was disrupted by ANC Youth league members) “I said to the Archbishop, okay I will help you get it started, I will do the secretarial work, I will call and facilitate the meetings and then we will find someone to be in charge. We did all of that and found a person to whom we offered the job. But she turned down the offer. I had a re-think after this and told the Archbishop that I will take up the position of Co-ordinator of Diakonia but I had no idea that I would still be in that position 28 years later!” It was during the mid-1980s that Paddy Kearney became involved with organisations such as the Natal Indian Congress, Detainees Parents Support Committee, Release Mandela Campaign and the United Democratic Front. It was no surprise when he came under the scrutiny of the dreaded security police at that time and was detained in 1985 for 17 days. He was released from detention by a court order in what became known as the “Hurley case” because Archbishop Hurley was the one who brought an application for Paddy’s release, with the help of Chris Nicholson, then Director of the Legal Resource Centre.

“We always had worship on Monday mornings at Diakonia and I was getting ready for that when someone came to the door and said that the security police were looking for me. Before I could respond, the security policemen rushed in. A Captain Van Sittert told me that they had come to arrest me. They then began looking into the rubbish bin, pulling files down from the cupboards and causing a commotion. They then took me to my flat to look for things there and thereafter drove me to C R Swart Square Police headquarters. I was interrogated there for the next 17 days, but held at the La Lucia Police Station.”

(Paddy Kearney participating in the Gandhi Salt March in Durban Like other anti-apartheid activists, Paddy Kearney also looked forward to the advent of the new democracy in April 1994. As Director of Diakonia, Paddy Kearney played a major role in preparing the flock to vote in the elections. “We had been preparing for it you know for two years at Diakonia and doing a lot of work of bringing together not only church groups but all NGOs who were interested in promoting democracy.

(Paddy Kearney with the Active Citizens Movement in 2017) “We started doing programmes in education for democracy, voter education, and preparing people to be observors and monitors. We also were training people to work with visitors who came from overseas to witness the elections. It was a culmination of a long period of preparation for people to get ready for the elections.” Paddy Kearney stepped down from Diakonia in 2004 after serving the organisation for 28 years as a full-time staff member, after two years as a volunteer. After his retirement he researched and wrote the biography of Archbishop Denis Hurley titled "Guardian of the Light" which was launched in Durban in August 2009. Paddy Kearney continues to be involved as a consultant to the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council, as well as Chair of the Gandhi Development Trust and of the Denis Hurley Centre Trust.

(Paddy Kearney with Dr Dilly Naidoo(second from right) with Farouk Meer, Sunny Singh, Swaminathan Gounden, Paddy Kearney and Bishop Reuben Philip) Twenty three years into our new democracy, Paddy Kearney believes that South Africans should be ever vigilant and speak out against injustice and corruption. He's also of the view that it's only through proper vigilance that the values of the struggle era can be protected and enhanced. “I think we have to be very vigilant. You know the struggle for democracy is never over. As soon as you start relaxing or become complacent, then I think problems can arise in the country and that’s the very difficult situation in which we find ourselves now. Over the past few years I think we have not been sufficiently vigilant and so we have lost something of the moral fibre that had been part of the struggles for a democratic South Africa.” He has also been a regular at non-government meetings and in organisations where concerned people have expressed their disquiet at the current socio-economic and political state of the country under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma. Paddy was one of the activists who attended the recent official launch of the non-government forum, Active Citizens Movement(ACM), of which he is a patron together with Judge Thumba Pillay, Dr Albertina Luthuli, Professor Jerry Coovadia and Zuleika Mayet. “I am happy that over the past year or so we have seen something of the tide turning against leaders who have lost their morals, values and principles.

(Paddy Kearney With Jean-Marie Ntamubano, a refugee from Burundi who is now the Manager of the Denis Hurley Centre.) Paddy Kearney made this statement at a time when former President Zuma had failed the country after allegations had been made that he was caught up in corruption and had come under the influence of certain people who were only interested in furthering their own interests. He would no doubt now be pleased that President Cyril Ramaphosa is trying his utmost best to weed out the corrupt people in Government through the State Capture Commission being headed by Justice Zondo. It’s a huge task at re-building the values that were central to the anti-apartheid struggle. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com

2018 - Deepavali Diwali Song - Manggala Oliveesum - Deepa Raagaa

THYNA SUBRAMONEY WINS THE LADIES SECTION OF THE 29TH MERCURY MILLION TOURNAMENT

(THE MERCURY PUBLISHED THIS PHOTO OF THE LADIES AND MENS' WINNERS OF THE 29TH MERCURY MILLION GOLF TOURNAMENT ON THE FRONT PAGE ON MONDAY, NOV 5 2018) A 66-year-old Durban woman golfer, who has been playing the sport for the past 18 years, won the ladies section of the 29th Mercury Million golf tournament at the Wild Coast resort during the Nov 2 and 3 (2018) weekend. Mrs Thyna Subramoney, who is a member of the Mount Edgecombe Golf Club, shot an overall total of 66 points during the two-day event. She scored 38 points on Sunday (Nov 3) and 28 points on Saturday (Nov 2) despite the severe howling winds and poor weather conditions. Her achievement follows a recent victory at a club tournament at Mount Edgecombe. “I am very excited because I have been playing in the Mercury Million for nearly 15 years and have not achieved the top prize before,” she said. “Although I won other prizes during the Mercury Million tournaments, I had not achieved the ultimate prize of being the sole winner of the ladies tournament.” Thyna Subramoney started playing golf in 2001 after she had more time on her hands early in 2 000.

(Thyna with Daya Naidoo and two other golfing colleagues at Mount Edgecombe) “All my children got married and left home and I had some time on my hands to take up golf.” She became a member at Mount Edgcombe as a novice and slowly picked up the finer points of the game. “I wanted to play golf because I was getting tired of just being a spectator when Subry went out every weekend to play the game. I told him that I had enough of being his caddy and that I now want to also play,” she said.

(Thyna with her golfing friends, Anjie Valjee, Daya Naidoo, Sam Valjee and Mara Naidoo during a golfing tournament at Champagne Sport) After attaining her first handicap she joined her journalist husband, Subry Govender, to play in tournaments all over KwaZulu-Natal, Drakensberg Gardens, Champagne Sport, and in Gauteng and Swaziland.

In October 2016 she achieved one of golf highest honours when she scored a hole-in-one at the Mount Edgecombe Golf Course. “It was one of my highlights of my playing career and now, winning the ladies section of the Mercury Million, is yet another exciting achievement.”

< (Thyna with her golfing friend, Anjie Valjee, and Subry Govender) She said her son, Kennedy Pregarsen Subramoney, and her twin grand-sons, Divarshan and Dasendran, who are 17-year-old, and her third grand-son, Darshan, are also avid golfers. “Our whole family are golfers and I hope one day that we will have top world professional golfers emerging from our family.” On Monday, Nov 5 (2018), Thyna Subramoney made the front page of The Mercury when the newspaper published a photo of the winners of the ladies and mens’ sections of the Mercury Million tournament. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com (Nov 5 2018)

THE PLIGHT OF THE MARGINALISED

BIN PICKERS BY SUBRY GOVENDER

If you think life is becoming tough with the current trends in our economy, spare a thought for those who are living on the margins of our society. Early today (Oct 22 2018) while going on my usual walk alongside the road at a beach on the North Coast, I was taken aback by noticing some men digging into bins. The bins were placed by residents outside their houses for the municipal trucks to collect and cart them off to the municipal dumps. I was shocked that human beings were digging into the bins. I approached some of them who looked very pitiful and really downtrodden. I inquired what they were looking for in the bins? They were not only looking for empty tin cans but also other items that they could sell. Some of them even had collected some sandwiches they found in the bins.

One of the men, an old person who was dressed in very dirty long pants and shirt, said: “We have nothing to eat. We are looking for anything that we can sell and make some money.” The man, who looked as if he had not eaten for some days, said they all lived in squatter settlements and were struggling to make a living. Asked whether they don’t have children who could take care of them, he said: “They are also living in the jondolos and they don’t work.” Many cultural and social organisations are doing a lot to help these hapless people. It seems they cannot reach all the people on the side-lines of society.

Witnessing the “bin pickers” made me wonder whether all those politicians and their business friends, who are stealing billions of taxpayers’ money, ever spare a thought for the marginalised and the poor who live on the fringes of society? One sincerely hopes that these politicians and their business friends will take some time off from their busy corrupt schedules and visit those on the fringes of society. The poor and the marginalised must also be given opportunities to improve their lives socially and economically. They cannot be used only as cannon fodder during election time. ends - subrygovender@gmail.com

PHOENIX – NORTH OF DURBAN – IS BEING TURNED INTO A SLUM BY THE NEW DEMOCRATIC MUNICIPALITY

(PARTS OF THE REDFERN SPORTS FIELD BEING DESTROYED BY THE LOCAL ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY)

(FILTH AND RUBBISH THAT ARE FOUND ALMOST EVERYWHERE ALONG EASTBURY DRIVE IN PHOENIX) October 21 2018 By Subry Govender

(FILTH AND RUBBISH FOUND ALMOST EVERYWHERE ON EASTBURY DRIVE) I was driving on the road alongside the railway line in Phoenix, Eastbury Drive, early today when I was once again taken aback and shocked at what greeted me. Large piles of rubbish, filth, and all kinds of unwanted material were dumped on both sides of the road at several spots. This is not the first time that this reckless destruction of the environment has engulfed this area and several other places in what is supposed to be the residential area of Phoenix. What is really going on? Is the municipality showing any concern for the environment in Phoenix and other residential areas inhabited mainly by those who are considered to be disadvantaged and marginalised?

(MR JOHN PILLAY OF THE "SAVE OUR REDFERN SPORTS FIELDS" STANDING ON THE SOCCER FIELD THAT IS BEING DESTROYED BY THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY) Then when I turned on the road leading to Unit 11, near the Ferndale school, I noticed a large piece of land, which used to be a playground for school children and a sports field for footballers and cricketers, being dug up and levelled by tractors and bulldozers. I don’t know what is going to be built on this piece of land but I was informed that houses are to be built here. Once again another playground and sports field is being torn apart and ripped away from the children of Phoenix. What are the children going to do after school hours if there are no sports field or playgrounds for them to fine tune their talents in soccer, cricket, and other sports? The capture of every piece of playground and sports field in Phoenix for the construction of houses will turn the residential area into a large slum. Is this what the new democratic municipality want to see? Why can’t the municipality build more houses in large tracts of vacant land that are found outside Phoenix?

(YOUNGSTERS WHO WANT TO PLAY SOCCER BEING DEPRIVED OF THEIR SPORTSFIELD BY CORRUPT MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE IN LEAGUE WITH UNSAVOURY ELELMENTS) It’s actions like these by the municipality is driving many young people into all kinds of anti-social activities such as drugs and alcohol. The lives of thousands of young people are being destroyed because it seems the municipality is adopting a don’t care attitude. It seems that the municipality want to see the destruction of the residential areas where people of colour live and eke out a livelihood. SAVE OUR REDFERN SPORTSFIELD

(Mr Johnny Pillay standing on ground that has already been excavated) I spoke to one of the community leaders and sports administrators, Mr John Pillay, at the sportsfield on Sunday, October 21 (2018). Mr Pillay and some of his colleagues have established the “Save Our Redfern Sportsfields” to highlight the destruction of their sports fields, playgrounds and open spaces. He told me that they only realised three weeks ago that their sports field was being destroyed for a housing development when they found that excavators were digging up and levelling the large sports field. “We took some pictures and established the ‘Save Our Redfern Sportsfield Committee’. We sent our objections to all the councillors, ministers, and the council because there have been no consultations. “This is the only sports field serving Redfern, Wet Fern and the children from Inanda, Bester, and other residential areas around us. “Previously during the FPL days, football clubs such as Berea, Tongaat Crusaders, and Manning Rangers used to use this ground. Our children used to join these clubs. “It was one of the most vibrant sports fields in Phoenix. But now the community is devastated with what is going on.”

(A SECTION OF THE REDFERN/FERNDALE SPORTSFIELD THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RIPPED APART BY THE MUNICIPALITY) Mr Pillay said some councillors had responded to their concerns and had taken up the matter. “We have had some reaction from Councillor Samir who has been quite helpful. Councillor Stanley Moonsamy, about a year ago, showed us a document that placed a moratorium on building on sports fields. I tried to get hold of him but unfortunately he is not available at all. “We have had some discussions with George Mari and he has written to the Public Protector. My big worry is that this excavation is continuing and the destruction is continuing and continuing.” Mr Pillay said the destruction of sports fields was ongoing and it seemed that “the authorities just don’t care about us”. WE ARE BEING DESTROYED

(HUGE TRUCKS BEING USED TO DESTROY THE REDFERN/FERNDALE SPORTS FIELD) “The situation is serious. We are trying to meet with MEC Ravi Pillay but he has not yet responded to us. It seems this issue is not being taken seriously by the ruling party. We as a community are just being taken for granted. Our main concern is how did this happen, when did this happen, who was responsible and how did this happen without consultation taking place with the community of Redfern and greater people of Phoenix? “We in Redfern are very concerned about what is going on because this is of sentimental value to us. We are a united community with settlements around us. We want to create a community that is united and this field was one of the focal points of our unity. Now we are not only being betrayed but the future of our children is also being destroyed. “We are very concerned that at the rate this municipality is functioning our children will have no sports fields or open spaces to play. This ultimately will lead to the children resorting to all kinds of anti-social activities.”

(PART OF THE SPORTSFIELD ALREADY DUG UP) “TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY” While I was writing this article, I received a letter that Mr Bhana Morar wrote to the Public Protector about the soccer fields of Ferndale and Eastbury being destroyed for the enrichment of the wealthy elite. In an emotional plea, Mr Morar points out that the two soccer fields had been used for more than 40 years by the community of Phoenix. After outlining the history and struggles by the people for equality, Mr Morar called for an urgent investigation into the sale of the soccer fields to a construction company. He wrote: “This sporting facility is a thriving venue for the many residents in a Black township which cannot continuously be pushed from pillar to post to suit the rise of the corporate elite of Black Economic Empowerment ventures. “We urgently request your reputable office to investigate the sale of the recreational site (soccer fields) – Eastbury and Ferndale – , which has been in use for more than 40 years by the local community of Phoenix.” Mr Morar referred to the rich legacy of Curries Fountain and asked: “When will we start to create the likes of Paula and Seelan, Smiley Moosa, and Dharam Mohan if the primary building foundation of such soccer institutions are continuously being taken away from a deserving community?”

POLITICAL PARTIES AND THEIR COUNCILLORS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTINUED DESTRUCTION OF PHOENIX

CORRUPTERS AND CORRUPTEES MUST BE ERADICATED The continued destruction of Phoenix raises the question of the role of councillors, municipal officials and the political parties that operate in the area. While some councillors may be trying to work with community leaders like Mr John Pillay but it seems that most of them are not active at all. Why are most of the officials not doing their job and highlighting the degeneration of Phoenix? Are they not concerned that this residential area is being turned into a large slum? These so-called officials politicians are being paid huge salaries. If they cannot work in the interests of the community at large then they must just find alternative ways to earn a living. You are not doing the people of Phoenix any favours. They must speak out and act against the social destruction of Phoenix or just get out! – ends (subrygovender@gmail.com)

(MR JOHN PILLAY WITH SOME OF THE YOUNGSTERS WANTING TO PLAY SOCCER BUT THEIR ASPIRATIONS ARE BEING DASHED BY THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FERNDALE/REDFERN SOCCER FIELD)