EFF leader won’t deny Indian citizens their rights

THE EFF, with Malema as its leader, is using the race card as its strategy to divide a country that has suffered enough from past divisions.

Malema has not laid out a plan of how he will change people’s lives for the better, other than talk about nationalisation and taking land without compensation, both of which have been done before in a country like Zimbabwe, resulting in 80% unemployment, food shortages and worthless currency.

A series of legal restrictions and discriminatory laws were also implemented against the Indian community (by colonial authorities):

1. In 1891, the Statute Law of the Orange Free State prohibited Indians from owning businesses or farms in the Orange Free State. All Indian businesses were forced to close and the owners were deported from the Orange Free State without compensation.

2. Act 17 of 1895 of the Colony of Natal imposed a £3 tax on ex-indentured Indians who failed to re-indenture or return to India after completion of their labour contracts (£3 was equivalent to about six months’ earnings).

3. The Transvaal’s Onerous Act 3 of 1885 barred Indians from owning land and confined them to locations.

4. The Franchise Act of 1896 disenfranchised all Indians in Natal.

5. The Asiatic Law Amendment Bill (The Black Act) of 1907 proposed the registration and fingerprinting of Indians, who would be required to carry registration certificates (similar to passes) at all times.

6. The Transvaal Immigration Restriction Act of 1908 barred all non-resident Indians from entering the Transvaal without permits,

7. The Immigrants Regulation Act, No 22, of 1913, classified all Asiatic persons as undesirable. It effectively put an end to Indian immigration and restricted Indian entry into provinces not of their domicile.

8. A judgment by Justice Malcolm Searle in March 1913 in the Cape division of the Supreme Court rendered all marriages conducted according to Hindu or Muslim rites invalid. This meant that all married Indian women in South Africa were reduced to the status of concubines, while their progeny was classified illegitimate and deprived of all their rights of inheritance, property, assets and legal claims.

Under apartheid, people were classified and excluded based on race. The Indian citizens of this country are equal to any other group and cannot and must not be denied any right of contribution or participation in our land.

Hiresh Ramthol Lone Hill

SPEAKING in Durban at the Curries Fountain Stadium for the EFF’S fourth anniversary, Julius Malema accused the Indian community of racism, exploiting African workers and monopolising the Kwazulu-natal economy.

These remarks have angered the community.

What he is doing is promoting racial hatred between blacks and Indians in KZN. This is a very dangerous game.

Malema said Indians are exploiting African workers, but he does not speak of blacks exploiting their black workers.

Why? Are blacks exempted from exploitation?

Malema is sick and it comes from a person whose mind is perverted.

Malema is anti-indian and It is time he stopped his tirade against them.

He must broaden his knowledge about the South African Indian instead of showing hate and envy.

He appears to know nothing or very little of the role played by South African Indians in helping to build the South African economy. They have created millions of jobs and continue to create more.

Malema must apologise to Indians for speaking out of turn. Ismail Moolla

Umzinto