Prior to and after the unbanning of the African
National Congress (ANC), the Pan Africanist Congress and the release of Nelson
Mandela in February 1990, a number of people not only initiated a debate on the
role of the Natal Indian Congress and its future position but many leaders also
acknowledged the role of the people in general in the struggles.
One of the leaders who fully acknowledged the role played
by people of Indian-origin in the struggles was none other than freedom icon
and South Africa’s first democratic president, Nelson Mandela.
I found an article about Nelson Mandela’s
acknowledgement of the role played by the Natal Indian Congress while
researching through my files for stories about the NIC and its work during the
1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
Mandela made the acknowledgement only two weeks after his release from life
imprisonment on February 11 1990.
He had addressed a rally in Durban on February 25
1990 at a time when bloody clashes had erupted between supporters of the
Inkatha Freedom Party on one side and the ANC on the other.
At the same time, some racist forces from within the
ranks of the apartheid regime had started to sew seeds of hatred against the
Indian-origin community.
At this time, I was working for the Press Trust of
India (PTI) and several international radio stations such as the BBC, Radio
Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Radio France Internationale and national
radio stations in the United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia, and New
Zealand.
The articles for PTI were published in a number of
newspapers in India on February 26 (1990) under the headline: “Mandela lauds
role of Indians”.
SHINING EXAMPLE
After the initial introductory paragraphs, the story
read:
In a passionate speech, heard by thousands of people who
cheered loudly, the ANC leader, Mr Nelson Mandela, reminded the people of the
role played by Indian patriots since 1894 and said their struggle against
oppression was a shining example of Indo-African solidarity.
The struggle began in Natal with the formation of the
first black political organisation in Africa – the Natal Indian Congress
founded in 1894 by Mahatma Gandhi, he recalled.
Mr Mandela said “in 1946 during the defiance
campaigns more than 2 000 Indians were sent to jail – many for occupying
land reserved for whites. The campaign made clear the common nature of Indian
and African oppression…..in 1947 this led to the Dadoo-Xuma-Naicker pact and
the joint action of Africans and Indians against oppression in 1952”.
Earlier Mr Mandela expressed his concerns at the
recent racial attacks.
He said the perpetrators “of these acts are enemies
of the liberation movement”.
Mr Mandela told the huge gathering that he greeted
the people of Natal in the name of peace which was desperately needed in the
province.
“Here in Natal apartheid is a deadly disease in our
midst. My message to you today is to take your guns, knives and pangas and
throw them into the sea. Close down the death factories.
“Stop the violence now,” he told the mammoth crowd admonishingly.
The rally was also addressed by the Indian ANC
leader, Mr Ahmed Kathrada, who was released from imprisonment last year along
with other ANC leaders, including Mr Walter Sisulu. Ends – Press Trust of South
Africa February 26 1990
While researching through my files for stories on the
Natal Indian Congress in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, I came across an
article about a book written by a local author on love, caste and ethnicity.
The book, “The Voice of Suminthra”, was written by Mr
Moghamberry Govenderof Durban sometime
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
I was Editor of the Press Trust of South Africa
(PTSA) at this time and we had written the story for publication in Indian
newspapers through the Press Trust of India (PTI).
The story was published, among others, by the Indian
Express under the headline: “Call to ban book by SA Indian” and The Hindu under
the headline: “Controversy in Durban over Indian’s novel” on February 1 1990.
The story read:
Durban, Feb 1 (PTI): Mr Moghamberry Govender, a South
African Indian grandfather, has raised the ire of some community leaders over
the caste theme and some explicit sex scenes between the two main characters of
his first novel, reports PTI.
Mr Govender (61) of Durban deals in the novel, “The
Voice of Suminthra”, with a love affair between a rich Gujerati girl and a poor
Tamilian forced to leave school because of his family’s financial
circumstances.
The young couple face many trials and tribulations
and eventually they elope and leave South Africa for India.
The book contains steamy sessions which Mr Govender
says are well within the context of the story. But some members of the Indian
community have called for the book to be banned.
But in spite of the controversy, Mr Govender has sold
3 000 copies, some of which to Indian school libraries.
Mr Govender says: “I do not consider the book to be
dirty. The book is a genuine portrayal of many young couples who have been
caught in caste, religion and language problems.” Ends – Press Trust of South
Africa Feb 1 1990
INDIAN
GIRL IN LOVE MISSING
The book by Mr Govender has resemblance to a real
life story that developed in Durban in June 1973.
I was working for the Daily News at this time and
covered a development about a young Gujerati-speaking girl who had gone missing
after her parents objected to her relationship with a 20-year-old
Tamil-speaking boy.
She went missing after applying to the Durban Supreme
Court for permission to marry her boy-friend.
This story made headline news and was published on
June 14 1973 under the headline: “Indian girl in love missing”.
The story read:
A young Durban girl who applied to the Durban Supreme
Court for permission to marry her Chatsworth boy-friend is missing. Twice this
week she failed to appear in court.
Miss………………., an 18-year-old Gujerati-speaking Indian
girl, applied to Mr Justice Friedman in the Supreme Court last October for
permission to marry her 20-year-old Tamil boy-friend, Mr …………, with whom she
had been in love for six years. The application was opposed by her parents.
Miss ……. . was granted an order preventing her
parents, Mr and Mrs…….. , from removing her from the magisterial district of
Durban.
Mr ……… (her boy-friend) is baffled by her disappearance.
He saw Miss ……. . last Friday and she was in a happy
mood.
“She was looking forward to the court case because she
was confident that permission would have been granted for us to marry.
“I am now frightened for her safety.”
When Miss…….. applied for permission to marry, the
application was opposed by her father who claimed that his daughter’s “so-called
love is nothing more than a temporary infatuation”.
He said his daughter’s boy-friend belonged to a
different group.
He said: “It is important to me and my family that my
daughter should marry within the faith, and my experience is that people who
marry out of the faith usually reap unhappiness as they are isolated from the
community.”
Despite her parents’ objection, Miss …….sought
Supreme Court permission.
When the decision was to have been given on Monday,
June 11, she failed to appear. The hearing was postponed for the next day, June
12, but she again failed to turn up.
Her disappearance has been reported to the police by
both her boy-friend and her parents. Ends – Daily News Reporter June 14 1073
GIRL
CAN MARRY IF SHE RETURNS
Then three weeks later on July 6 1973 I wrote a follow-up
story that her father would allow her to marry her boy-friend if she returned
home.
The story read:
The father of Miss….. , the Durban girl who
disappeared from her home early last
month after her parents objected to her marriage plans, now says she can go
ahead and marry if she will return.
Mr ……… . said today although he had originally
objected to his daughter marrying her Chatsworth boy-friend, Mr……… , he had
changed his mind.
Miss ……. , an 18-year-old Gujerati-speaking Indian
girl, sought Supreme Court permission last October to marry her boy-friend. Her
parents objected to the application.
Mr …….. . opposing his daughter’s marriage on the
grounds that the “so-called love is nothing more than a temporary infatuation”.
Miss ……, however, continued with her application and
a decision was to have been given on June 11, but she failed to appear.
Mr …….. . said anyone seeing his daughter should
phone the Chatsworth police at 031 – 846644 or contact the nearest police
station. Ends – Daily News Reporter July 6 1973
After these two stories were published, the families
concerned refused to talk to the media. But it appeared that the young couple
married and continued with their lives with the full blessing of their parents.
RONNIE GOVENDER’S PLAY, “OFF-SIDE”, IN 1984 POKES FUN
AT SA’s INDIAN MPs
While researching through my files for articles that
I had written on the Natal Indian Congress from the early 1970s to the 1990s, I
came across articles that I had written about the recently late, Ronnie
Govender’s play, "The Lahnee's Pleasure", in October 1976 and “Off-Side”, in September 1984. I am re-publishing these stories as a tribute to Ronnie Govender, who passed away at the age of 85 on April 29 last month. He was one of the most accomplished playwrights and theatre personalities who reigned supreme during the days of struggles against the apartheid regime.
BLACK ACTORS GET CHANCE IN RONNIE’S PLAY
During the hurly, burly days in the 1970s, I was working for The Daily News, which at this time was situated in a building in 85 Field Street (now Joe Slovo Street), Durban. As an activist journalist I covered most of the anti-apartheid political, educational, social, sporting and cultural stories. It was in this frame that I spoke to Ronnie Govender and filed a story that Ronnie was intending to stage his play, The Lahnee’s Pleasure”. Writing about Ronnie Govender’s stage plays was also of interest to me because most of Ronnie Govender’s plays in some way or other attacked the apartheid policies of the former apartheid regime. The story I wrote was published in the Daily News on October 22 1976 under the headline: “Black actors get chance in Ronnie’s play”. The story read:
Mr Ronnie Govender, the Durban playwright, whose play “Swami” was highly acclaimed a few years ago, is to produce another play, “The Lahnee’s Pleasure” in December. “The Lahnee’s Pleasure”, which was written by Mr Govender in 1972 and staged once during the South African Black Theatre Union’s Festival in Durban, will feature some of Durban’s best known black actors. They are Essop Khan, who took part in “Swami” and “The Fire Stone” and was one of the producers of the well-received musical, “Saras”; Mahomed Ali, who acted in “Swami”, “The First Stone” and “Stableexpense”; Sunny Clothier, the talented Coloured actor; and Solly Pillay, who came to prominence when he played the lead role in “Saras”. The central character in the play is a worker on a sugar plantation. As a widower, he is faced with the problem of rearing his children, among them a teenage daughter. The entire play is set in the Indian bar of a white-owned hotel and revolves around the barman, the “Lahnee”, a stranger and a young man who seduces the widower’s daughter. Mr Govender, who is also a journalist, told The Daily News he had decided to re-stage the play because of the favourable reaction of the people who saw it during the black festival. “I intended to stage the play long ago but was not able to do so because of many problems. I have now assembled my cast and am busy with rehearsels,” he said. – Daily News Reporter Oct 22 1976
"OFF-SIDE" PLAY POKES FUN AT SOUTH AFRICA'S INDIAN MPs
Eight years later when I was the Editor of the Press Trust of
South Africa (PTSA), we filed stories daily to the Press Trust of India
(PTI) in New Delhi about the struggles and other relevant articles. At this time RonnieGovender wrote and produced the play, “Off-side”, to
expose the Indian-origin collaborators who participated in the tri-racial
elections a few weeks earlier in August 1984. The collaborators had participated
in the sham elections despite the majority of the people of Indian-origin
boycotting the racial elections. “Off-side” was just one of several plays that he had
written and produced over the past six decades or so.
POLITICAL SATIRE ON SA INDIANS
The article on “Off-side” was published in several
newspapers in India under the headlines: “Off-side” play pokes fun at SA’s
Indian MPs”, “Play debunks Indian MPs of S. Africa” and “Political satire on SA
Indians”. One of the Indian newspapers, Indian Express,
published the article on “Off-side” on September 17.
The story read: Durban, Sept 17 (PTI): A local Indian playwright, Mr
Ronnie Govender, has poked fun at those Indians who are participating in the
new South African Constitution by producing a play, named “Off-side”, about
their actions. The play, which is running to packed houses in
Durban, takes a knock at a Durban butcher, Amichand Rajbansi, who is the leader
of the National Peoples’ Party (NPP); Mr Pat Poovalingam, chairman of the Party;
and a columnist, Mr Ranji Nowbath – all willing collaborators with the
apartheid regime. The play is spiced with Indian and English music,
reports Press Trust of South Africa. Mr Govender, who is a strong opponent of the
apartheid South African Government, has produced a number of plays with Indian
characters. The calibre of the new coloured and Indian members of
the tri-racial parliament is very poor, according to political observers here
who cite reports that the new members of the coloured House of Representatives
and the Indian House of Delegates were to undergo crash courses in parliamentary
procedures.
PLAY DE-BUNKS INDIAN MPs OF SOUTH AFRICA
The four-day course will be made up of intensive
briefing about how the new three-chamber parliament will operate, its standing
rules and the general conduct of the new MPs, reports Press Trust of South
Africa.
One political observer said it was shocking that
people could enter the new system without any idea about its workings.
Contestants for seats in the new Houses also showed
an appalling lack of knowledge of the new Constitution in the run-up to the
Indian and coloured elections. When several candidates were questioned on how
they would fight apartheid legislation from within the system, they were unable
to explain their stance.
Their arguments that they wish to fight apartheid
from within therefore comes to naught considering that many have not even read
the new Constitution.
With the majority of the MPs undergoing intensive
briefing section, it has also been revealed that several Indian candidates had
taken crash courses in Afrikaans – which is one of the two official languages
used by the new parliamentary scheme. The other official language is English. End
– Press Trust of South Africa Sept 17 1984
“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free
society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to achieve. But
if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” – NELSON MANDELA
April 27 2021
As we celebrate 27 years of our new democracy on
Tuesday, April 27 (2021), I would like to bring you some of the words of wisdom
that our first democratic President, Nelson Mandela, had stated about freedom for all people.
Over the years ever since his release on February 11
1990 and his passing in December 2013, Dr Mandela always acknowledged the role
played by all South Africans in the struggles for a new, non-racial and
democratic South Africa and how the new South Africa would be a home for all citizens
and people.
I produced this radio documentary on his 90th
birthday on July 18 2008.
NELSON MANDELA – HIS RICH LEGACY OF A UNITED,
PEACEFUL, NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA
“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free
society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to achieve. But
if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
The late former South African President, Nelson
Mandela, was more than just a political leader. At a time when South Africans
are celebrating 27 years of our freedom, it is appropriate to assert that Mandela
was one leader, like many of his contemporaries, who had continually promoted
unity, non-racialism and peaceful co-existence of all people.
Veteran journalist, Subry Govender, who has covered
Nelson Mandela ever since his release on February 11 1990 and right up to his
death on December 5 2013, writes that wherever
he is now, Mandela will be deeply disillusioned and disappointed by actions of
those political leaders who are now spreading racial hatred and disunity. It
seems that these new political elites have no respect or regard for Mandela’s RICH
LEGACY of unity, peaceful co-existence, non-racialism and democracy.
RICH LEGACY OF NON-RACIALISM, UNITY, PEACEFUL
CO-EXISTENCE AND DEMOCRACY
Although Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for nearly
three decades and spent more than 50 years of his life fighting minority rule,
he has always promoted the values and principles of unity and peaceful
co-existence of the majority African people alongside the white, coloured and
Indian-origin communities.
He first demonstrated his desire for a peaceful and
united South Africa only a few hours after his release from prison on February
11 1990. Addressing a massive crowd of people at the Grand Parade in Cape Town,
he said:
“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free
society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to achieve. But
if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
F W de KLERK: “Man of integrity”
At the same time, he went further to demonstrate his
commitment to a peaceful South Africa when in his speech he showed no animosity
to his former oppressors and spoke highly of the last white President, F W de
Klerk.
De Klerk, not only made Mandela’s release possible,
but was also chiefly responsible for the peaceful transfer of power from the
white minority to the black majority, led by Mandela’s African National
Congress.
He referred to De Klerk as a “man of integrity”
despite drawing some “no, no” from the people who had gathered to welcome him
as a free man.
This is what he said about De Klerk:
“Mr De Klerk has gone further than any other
Nationalist President in taking real steps to normalise the situation.
“It must be added that Mr De Klerk himself is a man
of integrity.”
Mandela pursued the unity theme throughout the
negotiations process from 1990 and thereafter as President, and during his
retirement.
Only five days before he was installed as the
country’s first democratic President on May 10 1994, Mandela outlined his
vision for the new South Africa when he addressed a large crowd of people in
Cape Town. This public meeting was organised with the support of Archbishop
Desmond Tutu and struggle stalwarts such as Dr Alan Boesak, Trevor Manuel and
Mr Dullah Omar.
He once again spoke of the new non-racial South
Africa being a country where all people would live in peace and harmony.
“CITIZENS OF ONE NATION”
“The South Africa we have struggled for, in which all
our people, be they African, coloured, Indian or white, regard themselves as
citizens of one nation is at hand. We honour the best sons and daughters of all
our people. We can count amongst them, Africans, coloureds, whites, Indians,
Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews – all of them united by a common vision of a
better life for the people of this country.”
He showed this theme when he established his first
democratic government. It was not only all inclusive but he also ensured that
the different communities were represented in his Cabinet. He also travelled
the length and breadth of South Africa in order re-assure the different
cultural and religious groups that individual and group rights would be protected
in the new, non-racial and democratic South Africa.
“NO CULTURAL GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL SHOULD FEEL INSECURE
IN THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA”
In one address in Durban in November 1994, Mandela
gave an assurance that no cultural group or individual should feel insecure and
that they should become part of the new South Africa. This is what he said:
“The benefits of the new era for peace and prosperity,
freedom and tolerance will now be clear. We are one nation of many cultures and
religions. No community or religion has anything to fear from non-racialism and
democracy. On the contrary, all communities and religions now enjoy equal
respect without preference.”
In one address in Soweto in Johannesburg during the
same period, Mandela told the people that the ANC did not regard itself as
conquerors. This was his theme throughout his five-year term as President and
when he stepped down in 1999 it was the same message that he passed down to his
successor, President Thabo Mbeki, and other leaders within the ruling ANC.
And in 2008 when South Africans observed the 32nd
anniversary of the Soweto uprisings, Mandela used the occasion to once again
remind the youth that they must work towards promoting unity and non-racialism.
This was his message: “As future leaders of this country
your challenge is to foster a nation in which all people, irrespective of race,
colour, sex, religion or creed, can assert social cohesion fully. Mindful of
your own challenge you must continue to promote the principle of relentless
freedom and democracy as it is the foundation upon which issues of human rights
are ingrained.”
Now as South Africans celebrate 27 years of our new
democracy, many people are justly concerned that Mandela’s sacrifices for our
freedom may have been in vain. This is due to the unchecked way in which some
political leaders are poisoning the minds of young people and others through
their racially-inciting demagoguery.
It seems that these new political elites have no
respect or regard for the values and principles of a united, free, peaceful and
democratic society that Mandela had pursued during his life.
Mandela would definitely be feeling disillusioned and
disappointed wherever he is now.Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com April 27 2021
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
At a time in April 2021 when the good names of struggle stalwarts such as Pravin Gordhan and others are being torn apart by reactionary elements, I want to bring you a radio documentary on the life of their comrades who passed away at the age of 58 on January 6 2008. He is none other than Yunus Ismail Mahomed, who worked very closely with Minister Gordhan and a hose of other activists in the struggles for a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa.
Yunus Mahomed made enormous
contributions in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s for freedom and justice in
South Africa.
Yunus Mahomed, who was born in Johannesburg on
January 6 1950, was an activist of principle who promoted the full values and
traditions of the freedom struggle. He worked with leaders of the calibre of Archie
Gumede, Griffith Mxenge, Pravin Gordhan, Rev Xundu, Professor Jerry Coovadia,
Thumba Pillay, Paul David, Mewa Ramgobin, and hundreds of other activists.
The ruling African National Congress in
South Africa had expressed its well wishes to the Tamil community in the
country and across the world on Tamil New Year (April 14 2021).
The message was contained in a media
release issued by the organisation’s national spokesperson, Mr Pule Mabe, on Wednesday,
April 14 (2021) in Johannesburg.
“TAMIL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXEMPLARY”
The ANC’s statement, also published on its
webpage, read:
“As the Tamil people celebrate 5 122 years,
the ANC wishes to express its appreciation for their contribution in
nation-building, moral regeneration, poverty eradication and the advancement of
black economic empowerment.
“The ANC is confident that other
communities will emulate the noble and patriotic example consistently shown by
the Tamil people in working towards a peaceful, non-racial and democratic South
Africa based on the principles of social and economic justice.
GRATITUTE
“The ANC wishes to express its gratitude to
the Tamil people for their continued support and solidarity with the poorest of
the poor. We urge them to continue along this noble path. The ANC believes that
government, working alone, cannot succeed to adequately address the plight of
the poorest of the poor. The contribution of all sectors of society is
critical, and the Tamil people have been exemplary.
“The ANC appreciates that, as a result of
COVID-19, the Tamil community cannot be in their temples during this sacred
period. We wish to thank the Tamil community for complying with all measures
and regulations that seek to defeat the pandemic.
“Our gratitude goes to the Tamil community
for their commitment and dedication to ease the burden placed on citizens’
shoulders by COVID-19.
“The ANC wishes the Tamil community a
blessed New Year.”
The message by the ANC follows in the
footsteps of similar sentiments issued by leaders in the British and Canadian
governments. Masses of Tamil people reside in these two countries, United
States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other countries like the more than
500 000 people of Tamil-origin in South Africa.
It’s understood that the ANC had conveyed similar
Tamil New Year messages for more than two years.
The Tamil-origin people in South Africa are
descendants of indentured labourers who were brought along with Hindi, Telegu
and Malayalam communities by the British Colonial Government since 1860 to work
on the sugar plantations of the then Natal Colony. Since their arrival nearly 161
years ago, they involved themselves fully in the struggles against racial discrimination
and later in the liberation war against white minority rule.
Many people believe that the ANC’s latest
move is a sign that the major cultural events of all communities are being recognised
in our new non-racial and democratic South Africa.
South Africa is a multi-cultural country
and, therefore, all communities should feel at home. Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com April 16 2021
