A RADIO FEATURE ON THE LIFE OF STRUGGLE ACTIVIST SIVANANDAN SIVA NAIDOO OF TONGAAT, NORTH OF DURBAN, IN SOUTH AFRICA

RADIO FEATURE PRODUCED IN 2009 BY SUBRY GOVENDER

(SIVA NAIDOO SEEN IN THE BACK ALONG WITH OTHER ACTIVISTS PROMOTING THE NEW ACTIVE CITIZENS MOVEMENT) One of the activists who became involved in the struggles since 1976 against white minority rule and domination is Sivanandan Siva Naidoo of Tongaat, north of Durban, in South Africa. A descendant of indentured sugar cane labourers, Siva Naidoo has been involved in the former Natal Indian Congress, United Democratic Front, and community and civic organisations. After the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and unbanning of the ANC and other organisations, Siva Naidoo became involved with the ANC. In 2009, fifteen years after the advent of our new non-racial democracy, I had the opportunity of interviewing Siva Naidoo at his Tongaat home about his life and efforts at that time to establish a non-racial forum to work with the ruling ANC. Today, 22 years into our new democracy, Siva Naidoo is now involved with the Active Citizens Movement.

Billy Nair – a struggle stalwart who did not leave behind millions or billions in his bank but a rich legacy of selfless struggles for freedom

THIS IS THE THIRD RADIO FEATURE IN HIS HONOUR AFTER HIS PASSING ON OCTOBER 23 2008 In this radio feature, Billy Nair gives a history lesson to students and others about what the freedom struggles were about.

One of the freedom fighters and struggle stalwarts who sacrificed his life for the removal of the apartheid regime in South Africa was Billy Nair, who was imprisoned on Robben Island for nearly 20 years. Nair was part of the Natal Indian Congress, South African Communist Party, the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), the Africans National Congress (ANC) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) after his release from prison in the early 1980s. Born in the district of Sydenham in the South African coastal city of Durban on November 27 1929, Nair was the son of parents who had come from the Cochin district of Kerala in south India.

He was also part of the group of freedom fighters who sought refuge at the British Consulate in Durban in the mid-1980s at the time of intense protests against the apartheid regime’s attempts to co-opt Indian-origin and coloured people into the so-called tri-cameral (racial) parliament. The other freedom fighters who joined Billy Nair were Paul Devadas David; Mewa Ramgobin, who passed away recently on October 17 (2016) at the age of 84; and the late M J Naidoo; Archie Gumede, and George Sewpersadh.

After Nair left the British Consulate, he continued to work with the UDF to promote the freedom struggle without any concerns for his life. He addressed community meetings and students all over the country about the need to replace the apartheid regime as soon as possible. He realised this dream when Nelson Mandela was released and the ANC and other organisations were unbanned in February 1990.

He campaigned vigorously for the ANC and after 1994 served as an MP in the national parliament. He died at his home in La Mercy on October 23 2008. The then President, Kgalema Motlanthe, and the ANC leader, Jacob Zuma, paid glowing tributes to Nair at an official funeral in Durban a week later.

Billy Nair – a struggle stalwart who left behind a legacy of selfless contribution for freedom

THIS IS THE SECOND RADIO FEATURE IN HIS HONOUR AFTER HIS PASSING ON OCTOBER 23 2008 In this feature, Billy Nair talks about his continued torture at the hands of the apartheid regime – after after being incarcerated on Robben Island for 20 years. He was released in February 1984.

One of the freedom fighters and struggle stalwarts who sacrificed his life for the removal of the apartheid regime in South Africa was Billy Nair, who was imprisoned on Robben Island for nearly 20 years. Nair was part of the Natal Indian Congress, South African Communist Party, the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), the Africans National Congress (ANC) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) after his release from prison in the early 1980s. Born in the district of Sydenham in the South African coastal city of Durban on November 27 1929, Nair was the son of parents who had come from the Cochin district of Kerala in south India. He was also part of the group of freedom fighters who sought refuge at the British Consulate in Durban in the mid-1980s at the time of intense protests against the apartheid regime’s attempts to co-opt Indian-origin and coloured people into the so-called tri-cameral (racial) parliament. The other freedom fighters who joined Billy Nair were Paul Devadas David; Mewa Ramgobin, who passed away recently on October 17 (2016) at the age of 84; and the late M J Naidoo; Archie Gumede, and George Sewpersadh. After Nair left the British Consulate, he continued to work with the UDF to promote the freedom struggle without any concerns for his life. He addressed community meetings and students all over the country about the need to replace the apartheid regime as soon as possible. He realised this dream when Nelson Mandela was released and the ANC and other organisations were unbanned in February 1990. He campaigned vigorously for the ANC and after 1994 served as an MP in the national parliament. He died at his home in La Mercy on October 23 2008. The then President, Kgalema Motlanthe, and the ANC leader, Jacob Zuma, paid glowing tributes to Nair at an official funeral in Durban a week later.

Billy Nair – a struggle stalwart who sacrificed his life for the freedom of the people in South Africa for nearly 60 years

One of the freedom fighters and struggle stalwarts who sacrificed his life for the removal of the apartheid regime in South Africa was Billy Nair, who was imprisoned on Robben Island for nearly 20 years. Nair was part of the Natal Indian Congress, South African Communist Party, the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), the Africans National Congress (ANC) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) after his release from prison in the early 1980s. Born in the district of Sydenham in the South African coastal city of Durban on November 27 1929, Nair was the son of parents who had come from the Cochin district of Kerala in south India. He was also part of the group of freedom fighters who sought refuge at the British Consulate in Durban in the mid-1980s at the time of intense protests against the apartheid regime’s attempts to co-opt Indian-origin and coloured people into the so-called tri-cameral (racial) parliament. The other freedom fighters who joined Billy Nair were Paul Devadas David; Mewa Ramgobin, who passed away recently on October 17 (2016) at the age of 84; and the late M J Naidoo; Archie Gumede, and George Sewpersadh. After Nair left the British Consulate, he continued to work with the UDF to promote the freedom struggle without any concerns for his life. He addressed community meetings and students all over the country about the need to replace the apartheid regime as soon as possible. He realised this dream when Nelson Mandela was released and the ANC and other organisations were unbanned in February 1990. He campaigned vigorously for the ANC and after 1994 served as an MP in the national parliament. He died at his home in La Mercy on October 23 2008. The then President, Kgalema Motlanthe, and the ANC leader, Jacob Zuma, paid glowing tributes to Nair at an official funeral in Durban a week later. Subry Govender, who interacted and interviewed Billy Nair on several occasions, compiled this special radio feature as a tribute to Billy Nair after his funeral…… .

South Africans are dumfounded at the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States of America

INTRO: The election of multi-billionaire – Donald Trump – as the new President of the United States of America has sent shock waves in South Africa – a country he described as “broken and crime-ridden” during the run-up to the elections. But the Government says it will work with Trump to promote the already strong relations between the two countries and between Africa and America. Subry Govender filed this report……. .

Paul Devadas David - ONE OF THE STRUGGLE ACTIVISTS WHO PAID THE PRICE FOR A NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA

IN SEPTEMBER 2009 PAUL DAVID TOLD SUBRY GOVENDER THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A NON-RACIAL FORUM TO WORK WITH THE RULING AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS(ANC)

(PAUL DAVID (LEFT) ATTENDING THE NATIONAL PROTEST RALLY IN DURBAN ON WEDNESDAY NOVEMVER 2 2016 ORGANISED BY THE ACTIVE CITIZENS MOVEMENT) BY SUBRY GOVENDER One of the leaders who spoke at the funeral service of Mewa Ramgobin at the Verulam Civic Centre, north of Durban, in South Africa on Sunday, Oct 23 2016, was another struggle stalwart, 76-year-old Paul Devadas David.

(PAUL DAVID AT THE FUNERAL OF MEWA RAMGOBIN AT THE VERULAM CIVIC CENTRE, NORTH OF DURBAN, IN SOUTH AFRICA ON SUNDAY, OCT 23 2016) David with Ramgobin was among the six freedom activists who sought refuge at the British Consulate in central Durban after being hunted by the then apartheid security police. The other leaders were the late Archie Gumede, M J Naidoo, George Sewpersadh and Billy Nair. David was also among the 15 activists with Ramgobin who were charged with High Treason in 1985. The others were Isaac Duze Ngcobo, Archie Gumede, Curtis Nkondo, Sisa Njikelana, Aubrey Mokoena, Sam Kikine, M J Naidoo, Albertina Sisulu, Essop Jassat, Cassim Salojee, George Sewpersadh, Frank Chikane and Thozamile Gqweta. Born on August 26 1940 in Pietermaritzburg into a devout Catholic family, David’s grand-parents came from a little village in Tamil Nadu in South India to the then Natal Colony as indentured labourers. His father Simon David was a school teacher and principal and as such was a strict disciplinarian. He instilled the values of respect for elders and commitment to education to David and his three other sons and three daughters. One of his David’s sisters, Phyllis Naidoo, was also a struggle stalwart who was called to rest on February 13 2013. Paul David came under the influence of Phyllis and his brother-in-law, M D Naidoo, while still at high school and became the secretary of the Natal Indian Youth Congress in 1959. He became actively involved in the political struggles when he joined Mewa Ramgobin and other activists in the revival of the Natal Indian Congress in the early 1970s and was elected the vice-president of the NIC in 1979. He was also involved with the Release Mandela Committee and was elected its secretary in 1983 and in 1984 became fully involved with the United Democratic Front(UDF). In addition to his political involvement at all levels, Paul David also became involved in anti-apartheid work at community levels in ratepayers’ organisations in Verulam, Stanger and Durban. He was also involved in non-racial sport in organisations such as the Southern Natal Soccer Board, South African Soccer Federation, Natal Cricket Board, Natal Council of Sport, South African Council of Sport and at local levels in Verulam and Stanger. In 2009, 15 years after the advent of our non-racial and democratic South Africa I had the opportunity of talking to Paul David about his thoughts about the new South Africa at his offices in KwaDukuza (formerly Stanger), north of Durban. He was blunt in his views that there was a need for a non-racial forum to help the ruling ANC in furthering the social, political and economic development of the new South Africa. His views and thoughts expressed then are very relevant today when the ANC faces serious and deep divisions within its ranks over the lack of proper leadership and the hunger among some people who have joined the ruling party to enrich themselves through fraud and corruption. This is the radio feature that I had compiled after speaking to Paul David seven years ago in September 2009.

National Protests in South Africa on Wednesday, (Nov 2 2016) brings back memories of the struggles of the 1970s/1980s and early 1990s.

A wave of protests were organised in several cities in South Africa on Wednesday (Nov 2 2016) to highlight the rot of corruption and state capture and the lack of integral leadership by President Jacob Zuma. The main protests took place in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. The protests took place on a day when Zuma withdrew his application in the Pretoria High Court to interdict the release of the State Capture report by the former Public Protector – Thuli Madonsela. Subry Govender compiled this radio feature for Radio Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany) Africalink programme…

https://sites.google.com/site/subryaudio/soundarchives/National%20protests%20Pkge%20Nov%202%202016_mixdown%20%282%29.mp3?attredirects=0&d=1