HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL SOUTH AFRICANS – INDIVIDUALS AND CULTURAL GROUPS - WILL BE PROTECTED IN A BILL OF RIGHTS – NELSON MANDELA IN AN INTERVIEW 30 YEARS AGO

AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE OBSERVING 27 YEARS OF OUR FREEDOM WE SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT NELSON MANDELA HAD TO SAY ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS

At a time in 2021 when many South Africans are expressing their serious concerns about the factional-political development in the ruling ANC and the continued promotion of racial hatred by some politicians, I would like to bring you a recorded interview that I had conducted with freedom icon, Nelson Mandela, 31 years ago in April 1992. At this time, South Africa was facing some of the most brutal and bloodiest periods with the apartheid security apparatus promoting the “killing fields” feuds between supporters of the ANC on one side and right-wing elements, on the other. Hundreds of people were mercilessly killed in townships in and around Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and other areas of the country. It was also during this time that the apartheid security elements and the white right-wing were continuing to sow seeds of fear and anxiety among the people of Indian-origin and the Coloured community.

Leaders of the Natal Indian Congress and other progressive forces were seriously concerned about the negative tactics being used by the apartheid regime to promote fear and anxiety among the people of Indian-origin. It was clear this tactic was used in an attempt to prevent the Indian and coloured communities from throwing in their lot with Mr Mandela and the ANC. The ANC, other political parties and the National Party were negotiating at this time to set up the transitional government that would be in charge of the country until the democratic elections that were held on April 27 1990.

At this crucial period, I was working for the Press Trust of India as its correspondent in Johannesburg, and PTI wanted me to get the views of Mandela about, among other things, the fear and anxiety experienced by people of Indian-origin, steps to be taken to promote human rights and future relations between a new Government and the Government of India.

I spoke to Mr Mandela at his offices in Luthuli House. His personal assistant and spokesperson, Ms Gill Marcus, had made the arrangements for me to interview Mr Mandela. Mr Mandela was crystal clear that all South Africans would enjoy equal rights and the human rights of the people would be protected in a future Bill of Rights. He had also appealed to the Government of India to help in the transition to a new non-racial and democratic South Africa. The radio documentary and the articles that I produced after the interview were broadcast and published in several radio stations around the world and in several newspapers in India and other countries. This is the interview that I had conducted with the freedom icon. I had recorded only certain parts of the interview in my radio tape recorder and written other parts of the interview in a notebook. The transcript of the radio interview follows after this documentary:

These were my questions and Mandela’s responses: Q 1: Dr Mandela immediately after your release and the unbanning of the ANC in February 1990 there was a surge of support for the ANC by the Indian and Coloured communities. But this surge apparently has waned because of the ongoing political violence. Do you think the violence was deliberately fanned in order to put fear into the Indian and coloured communites so that they will not support the ANC? Mandela: “My view is that there are those who are fuelling this violence have far larger objectives than that and that is to discourage people from joining the African National Congress. The attempt is either to destroy or weaken the African National Congress. The Indian and Coloured people are part, included in that strategy that they should be estranged, alienated from the liberation movement in the country. “But I don’t think the government (apartheid regime) is going to succeed.” Q 2: But some people are saying that the there is a need for the protection of the minority rights of the Indian, coloured and white communities. Don’t you think that the entrenchment of such rights in a new constitution will lead to the entrenchment of minority privileges and lead to further discrimination between the haves and have nots? Mandela: “The only way of entrenching minority rights in this country is a Bill of Rights which sets out the rights of every South African, irrespective of the national group he or she belongs to. That we have done. We have gone further to say that the constitution will not only be amended by a two thirds majority. We have also declared that there will be proportional representation. Any party that gets more votes than a certain percentage will be entitled to representation. “Those strategies are intended to protect the rights of the minorities.” Q 3: Now getting down to India which is one of your strongest supporters. It is yet to establish any links with South Africa, despite the large population of people of Indian descent here. It seems that they are waiting for an interim government here. When do you think India and other similar countries should establish links here? Mandela: “Well our point of view is that countries should establish diplomatic links with South Africa and lift sanctions only when an interim government has been established.” Q 4: Now during the post-apartheid period what kind of relations do you forsee between the new South Africa and India? Mandela: “O’h naturally they will be very good because of the relationship between the ANC and the Government of India. We are looking forward to the further strengthening of those relations. We will not forget our friends, I can assure you.” Q 5: In many of your statements since your release you have stated that you have been inspired by the writings and actions of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlall Nehru. Can you expand briefly how you were inspired by these leaders? Mandela: “Well the writings and speeches by Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru about the unity of India, the letters which he wrote to his daughter, Indira, from prison, provided us with a great deal of literature. Also, the writings of Mahatma Gandhi on Satyagraha and other issues of the Indian struggle. Not only that they taught us they demonstrated how freedom fighters should handle the problems facing the country and the fact that they were in and out of prison raised our esteem and respect for them.” Question 6: The Indian community in South Africa despite its small size has contributed in no small measure to the liberation struggle in all departments. What can you say to all the so-called feelings of insecurity among some sections of the Indian-origin community? Mandela: “We have and I have addressed a number of Indian occasions like Diwali and Eid/ Ramadaan, and I am due to address further rallies in these communities. I have addressed Indian businessmen twice already in Durban since I came. I have addressed Indian businessmen in Johannesburg. We are addressing the Indian community because of the vital role which they played in the past and which they are likely to play in the future.” - ends April 1992 PTSA