Colour, Class and Community - The Natal Indian Congress, 1971-1994

Goolam Vahed, Ashwin Desai

Description

This study reveals the history and inner workings of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) against the canvas of major political developments in South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s leading up to the first democratic elections in 1994.

In fascinating detail, Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed bring the inner workings of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) to life against the canvas of major political developments in South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s, and up to the first democratic elections in 1994.

The NIC was relaunched during the rise of the Black Consciousness Movement, which attracted a following among Indian university students, and whose invocation of Indians as Black led to a major debate about ethnic organisations such as the NIC. This debate persisted in the 1980s with the rise of the United Democratic Front and its commitment to non-racialism. The NIC was central to other major debates of the period, most significantly the lines drawn between boycotting and participating in government-created structures. The NIC continued to attract recruits who encouraged the development of community organisations. Some members played dual roles and were members of a legal organisation as well as allies of the African National Congress’ underground armed struggle.

Drawing on oral interviews, newspaper reports, and minutes of organisational meetings, this in-depth study tells a largely untold history, challenging existing narratives around Indian ‘cabalism’, and bringing the African and Indian political story into present debates about race, class and nation.

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgements

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Introduction

Chapter 1 Repression, Revelation and Resurrection: The Revival of the NIC

Chapter 2 Black Consciousness and the Challenge to the ‘I’ in the NIC

Chapter 3 Between Principle and Pragmatism: Debates over the SAIC, 1971−1978

Chapter 4 Changing Geographies and New Terrains of Struggle

Chapter 5 Class(rooms) of Dissent: Education Boycotts and Democratic Trade Unions, 1976−1985

Chapter 6 Lenin and the Duma Come to Durban: Reigniting the Participation Debate

Chapter 7 The Anti-SAIC Campaign of 1981: Prefigurative Politics?

Chapter 8 Botha’s 1984 and the Rise of the UDF

Chapter 9 Letters from Near and Afar: The Consulate Six

Chapter 10 Inanda, Inkatha and Insurrection: 1985

Chapter 11 Building Up Steam: Operation Vula and Local Networks 191

Chapter 12 Between Fact and Factions: The 1987 Conference 209

Chapter 13 ‘Caught With Our Pants Down’: The NIC and the Crumbling of Apartheid 1988−1990

Chapter 14 Snapping the Strings of the UDF

Chapter 15 Digging Their Own Grave: Debating the Future of the NIC

Chapter 16 The Ballot Box, 1994: A Punch in the Gut?

Chapter 17 Between Rajbansi’s ‘Ethnic Guitar’ and the String of the ANC Party List

Conclusion: A Spoke in the Wheel

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Sujets

• HISTORY
• POLITICAL SCIENCE
• Histoire
• General officer
• General

Informations

• Publié par: WITS University Press
• Date de parution: 01 novembre 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776147182
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

Colour, Class and Community – The Natal Indian Congress, 1971–1994
Colour, Class and Community – The Natal Indian Congress, 1971–1994
Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed
Published in South Africa by:
Wits University Press
1 Jan Smuts Avenue
Johannesburg 2001
www.witspress.co.za
Copyright © Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed 2021
Published edition © Wits University Press 2021
Cover image © African News Agency
First published 2021
http://dx.doi.org.10.18772/12021117151
978-1-77614-715-1 (Paperback)
978-1-77614-716-8 (Hardback)
978-1-77614-717-5 (Web PDF)
978-1-77614-718-2 (EPUB)
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All images remain the property of the copyright holders. The publishers gratefully acknowledge the publishers, institutions and individuals referenced in captions for the use of images. Every effort has been made to locate the original copyright holders of the images reproduced here; please contact Wits University Press in case of any omissions or errors.
Project manager: Elaine Williams
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Cover design: Hybrid Creative
Typeset in 11.5 point Crimson
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Repression, Revelation and Resurrection: The Revival of the NIC
2 Black Consciousness and the Challenge to the ‘I’ in the NIC
3 Between Principle and Pragmatism: Debates over the SAIC, 1971–1978
4 Changing Geographies and New Terrains of Struggle
5 Class(rooms) of Dissent: Education Boycotts and Democratic Trade Unions, 1976–1985
6 Lenin and the Duma Come to Durban: Reigniting the Participation Debate
7 The Anti-SAIC Campaign of 1981: Prefigurative Politics?
8 Botha’s 1984 and the Rise of the UDF
9 Letters from Near and Afar: The Consulate Six
10 Inanda, Inkatha and Insurrection: 1985
11 Building Up Steam: Operation Vula and Local Networks
12 Between Fact and Factions: The 1987 Conference
13 ‘Caught With Our Pants Down’: The NIC and the Crumbling of Apartheid 1988–1990
14 Snapping the Strings of the UDF
15 Digging Their Own Grave: Debating the Future of the NIC
16 The Ballot Box, 1994: A Punch in the Gut?
17 Between Rajbansi’s ‘Ethnic Guitar’ and the String of the ANC Party List
Conclusion: A Spoke in the Wheel
Notes
Bibliography
Index
List of Illustrations
Fig. 1.1
Gandhi Centenary Commemoration: Mangosuthu Buthelezi ( left ), Sushila Gandhi and Alan Paton. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 1.2
Left to right : Mewa Ramgobin, Alan Paton, Norman Middleton (Labour Party leader), Paul Pretorius (Natal University SRC president) and Louis Skweyiya address a Committee of Clemency meeting. (Courtesy of Mewa Ramgobin and Iain Edwards)
Figs. 2.1 and 2.2
Saths Cooper ( left ) and Strini Moodley ( right ), key members of the Black Consciousness Movement, were imprisoned on Robben Island. (Cooper: Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre. Moodley: Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 3.1
M.J. Naidoo was at the centre of debates about participation in government structures. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 3.2
Left to right : J.N. Reddy and A.M. Moolla, pictured here with Prime Minister John Vorster and minister of Indian affairs Chris Heunis. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 3.3
Pamphlet advertising the NIC conference, 1976. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 3.4
Monty Naicker ( seated ) and Kesaveloo Goonam ( centre ), who were both educated at Edinburgh in the 1930s and led the NIC in the 1940s, were recruited by the NIC to spearhead the anti-SAIC campaign. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 4.1
Pamphlet advertising meeting to form an NIC branch in Chatsworth, 1972. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 4.2
Advocate Zak Yacoob ( centre ), pictured here with lawyers and activists Phyllis Naidoo and Ebrahim Goga, was one of the younger, university-educated professionals who joined the NIC in the 1970s. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 4.3
The flood-prone Tin Town, which started as a temporary shelter in 1971, persisted until 1976. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 4.4
Removal of the last tent at Tin Town. Most residents were moved to the new township of Phoenix. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 4.5
Led by Mrs J. Maharaj ( centre ), members of the Phoenix Working Committee and the Phoenix Rent Action Committee march in protest against rental increases, January 1981. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 5.1
The 1973 strikes in Durban sparked a new wave of anti-apartheid struggle that would involve students, workers and the banned underground liberation organisations. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 6.1
Yusuf Dadoo ( left ), pictured here with Aziz Pahad while both were in exile in London. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 6.2
Mac Maharaj, pictured here at a 2008 forum on racism. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 6.3
Yousuf Vawda, who was involved in civic structures in Phoenix, was among those activists open to participation in government-created structures for strategic reasons. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 6.4
Activist and lawyer Yunus Mohamed also advocated rejectionist participation. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 7.1
Thumba Pillay ( left ) listens intently as Marie Naicker, widow of Monty Naicker, addresses an anti-SAIC rally in Durban, c . 1979. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 7.2
Jerry Coovadia ( left ) of the NIC and Paddy Kearney of Diakonia with a list of the 189 persons arrested in the lead-up to the 1981 elections. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 8.1
Anti-tricameral protest meetings drew large crowds across the country. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 8.2
From left : R. Ramesar, unidentified, Farouk Meer and M.J. Naidoo addressing an NIC human rights/anti-tricameral meeting. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 8.3
Fatima Meer, next to R. Ramesar, addressing an anti-tricameral meeting. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 8.4
Graffiti and posters in support of the UDF and against the tricameral proposals, 1984. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 8.5
Poster advertising a UDF meeting, 1983. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 9.1
Mewa Ramgobin, with George Sewpersadh, reading out a press statement after occupation of the British Consulate, 13 September 1984. (Courtesy of Mewa Ramgobin and Iain Edwards)
Fig. 9.2
Left to right : Paul David, Archie Gumede and Billy Nair on leaving the British Consulate, 13 December 1984. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 9.3
Pietermaritzburg Treason Trial, 1985. ( Centre front ) Advocate Ismail Mahomed with ( from left ) George Sewpersadh, George Naicker, Leonard Gering (wearing glasses, between and behind Naicker and Ramgobin), Mewa Ramgobin (arms folded), Cassim Saloojee, Thumba Pillay (spectacles, chin on hand) and Essop Jassat ( extreme right ). (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 9.4
Mewa Ramgobin, shortly after his acquittal in the Pietermaritzburg Treason Trial, raises his hands in salute as he makes his way to the platform to address a UDF rally, 16 December 1985. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 10.1
Maggie Govender ( right ), seen here at a rally shortly after the unbanning of the ANC in 1990. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 10.2
An Indian-owned service station up in flames during the August 1985 riots in Inanda. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 10.3
A convoy of trucks moves toward Inanda, carrying refugees hoping to salvage something from their ransacked homes. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 10.4
Indian self-protection group on the lookout for further attacks. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 10.5
Amichand Rajbansi ( right front ), then chairman of the House of Delegates Ministers Council, was popular among the Indian working classes. Seated to his right is his then wife, Asha Devi. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 11.1
Left to right : Brothers Moe, Schabir and Yunis Shaik were active in MK and trade unions in the 1980s. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 11.2
Pravin Gordhan ( standing ), pictured here with Nelson Mandela, played a key role in CODESA talks. (Courtesy of African News Agency)
Fig. 12.1
Kumi Naidoo ( left ), seen here with Walter Sisulu. (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 12.2
Pregs Govender, a student leader at UDW and ANC MP (1994–2002). (Courtesy of Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Fig. 13.1
The NIC/TIC delegation of October 1988 was one of the largest to meet with the ANC in Lusaka. From left : Cassim Saloojee (TIC delegation leader), Joe Slovo (ANC executive member and SACP leader), Jerry Coovadia (NIC delegation leader), Hassim Seedat (president of the M.L. Sultan Technikon Council) and Pat Samuels (president of the Teachers’ Association of South Africa). (Courtesy of Faizal Dawjee)
Fig. 13.2
Delegation to India, May 1989. From left : Fred Gona, Charm Govender, Cassim Saloojee, Yunus Carrim and Reggie Vandayar. (Courtesy of 1860 Heritage Centre)
Fig. 15.1
Joint NIC/TIC meeting in Johannesburg, 8 December 1990. (Courtesy of Ismail Vadi)
Fig. 15.2
Meeting of the NIC/TIC with the ANC at UDW on 17 March 1991. From left : I.C. Meer, Dullah Omar and Aziz Pahad. (Courtesy of Faizal Dawjee)
Fig. 16.1
Mrs Thrunagavalli Dixon garlands Nelson Mandela at a function in Chatsworth,