A LEADER AMONG LEADERS
AMICHAND RAJBANSI
CHILDHOOD HISTORY
The 14th of January 1942, was the sacred Makar Sankranti Day, when Mr Amichand Rajbansi was born, to become a great thinker and path-pointer to the newer generations of South Africans of Indian origin as well as the larger South African community.
RAJBANSI SETS AN EXAMPLE AS YOUTH YOUTH IN POLITICS
Mr Rajbansi mobilized the youth and set an example for others to follow. In this picture he is with the very first trophy he won for a public speaking contest at the age of 17. The judges were former Chief Inspector MR.R. G Pillay and Mrs Poovalingham.
SCHOOLING
Mr Rajbansi attended the Wentworth Government Aided School, thereafter HS Dunn and then Clairwood Secondary. From the tender age of 12, he spent his life in the struggle for political and economic freedom of the masses. He was a grassroots politician and his love for politics grew as a result of public speaking, school debates, acting and art. His passion for law, marketing and events management groomed him to become a selfless servant of the people.
MILK CARNIVAL
WORK LIFE
His youth was one filled with activities at Clairwood Secondary School, Bluff Rangers Soccer Club, the ANC youth-wing and the Natal Indian Congress (NIC).
He worked with icons like Albert Luthuli, Moses Mabhida and Nelson Mandela, in Clairwood. Mr Rajbansi was a teacher by profession, and taught Latin and Art at Chatsworth High, Witteklip and other schools. Due to financial constraints, he was not able to pursue his dream of studying law. He did other jobs and worked at NPC and Clover Diaries where he gave birth to the Milk Carnival. This event attracted thousands of people in the 1960’s and gave birth to the Milk Marathon as well as beauty, song and dance competitions. Mr Rajbansi was also a first-division soccer referee and a Bluff Ranger’s official. This toughened him up for the rough world of apartheid politics.
Madiba visited the Rajbansi home in Chatsworth during 2001 to thank Mr Rajbansi for his commitment to the struggle for freedom. Madiba valued his friendship with Mr Rajbansi and referred to him as “Amichand”.
POLITICS
A turning point in Mr Rajbansi’s life was when the apartheid government forcefully removed Clairwood residents and his family was settled in Chatsworth. He asked the NIC for help but was let down. He then realized that poor people had to fight for themselves and that he would have to be the voice of the downtrodden. Mr Rajbansi fought the Local Affairs Committee (LAC) elections. He went on to successfully content parliamentary elections, occupying key positions both in the South African Indian Congress (SAIC) and House of Delegates (HOD) in the Tricameral Parliament, where he was Leader of the National People’s Party (NPP) between the 1970’s and 1980’s.
During this time, Indian South Africans saw the great gains in terms of education as well as the provision of health, housing and sports facilities. It was Mr Rajbansi’s visionary thinking and political astuteness that resulted in the emergence of the middle-class Indians who graduated from tertiary education institutions like UD-W and Springfield Teachers Training College.
MAN OF ACTION: Inanda Riots (1985)
In 1993, Mr Rajbansi launched the Minority Front (MF) because he wanted to be elected by the people he served and not piggy-back on bigger parties. This despite Madiba having asked him to join the ANC. He served four terms to the KZN Legislature. He served the first Petitions Committee Chairperson (1999- 2003) and later as the Minister of Sports and Recreation (20042009). All communities benefitted from his work and Mr Rajbansi was named the best sports MEC by the national minister.
A MAN OF CULTURE: 1860 INDENTURED COMMEMORATION
Mr Rajbansi was a firm believer in minority rights as human rights. He realized that in our new democracy, mass movements would tend to lose touch with breadand-butter issues, hence the MF needed to be the political vehicle to continue the struggle for economic and other freedoms. He also realized that the challenges that minority communities would face with affirmative action and quotas and positioned the MF to be the voice of the people. His parliamentary debates were passionate and unmatched to date as he called repeatedly for political leaders and decision-makers to be true to the spirit of humanity and to abide by our constitutional provisions. Mr Rajbansi was named a key negotiator during the CODESA negotiations, as he contributed clauses that protected minorities in the democratic processes. He was very conscious of the poverty and the tears around him as he continued to live in the township of Chatsworth, among ordinary people, building and supporting community organizations throughout KZN.
MF SUPPORTS LOCAL FISHERMEN MR RAJBANSI: ONE OF THE KEY
NEGOTIATORS AT CODESA
Under his leadership, many people were launched into politics. He had tremendous faith in the youth as, “the builders’ of tomorrow” and focused on political training and revitalization programmes with a balance of spiritual life. He built the Hanuman Deity at his Chatsworth home to inspire the youth and community towards the path of God. To him Lord Hanuman was the “Living God”.
PROJECT HANUMANJI : 2011
Mr Rajbansi was popularly called the “Bengal Tiger” and even sported the Tiger as the MF logo. He was a product of Indian indentured grandparents. His family was close to the Padavattan brothers, as they were boat builders and seine netters. Knowing the sufferings of our ancestors, he was the protector of people’s rights and emphasized that this approach would embolden the youth in service to our nation. He strongly believed in social cohesion and nation building.
His 58-year political life-span shaped him, as both a natural and nurtured leader. He loved serving people irrespective of class, creed, caste or race. He rejoiced in the prosperity of others and touched the lives of countless people.
MR A. RAJBANSI 14/1/1942 – 29/12/2011
The developments in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape for the Indian community bear testimony to his tireless contribution.
The Sunday Times reporter, Norman West, described Mr. A. Rajbansi as “Kannidood” - a karoo plant that can withstand any weather but refuses to die. We are blessed to have had Mr Rajbansi’s higher-level of thinking and simple living enter our own consciousness and so bring about a transformation in all aspects of our lives, especially politics. This December 29th, will mark the 10th death anniversary of Mr Rajbansi. He would be proud that his political party has withstood so many storms yet continues to have a political presence at provincial and local level for almost 30 years. His demise has left a huge void in our country’s political landscape. It is hoped that MF loyalists will ensure a turnaround in 2024, as the Minority Front has regrouped with stronger people, is stable and set to hold the balance of power, once again.
BEST SPORTS MEC: 2008
“NO NONSENSE” BENGAL TIGER
CHATSWORTH SECONDARY STAFF
SOCCER CLUB ADMINISTRATION