A proud congress tradition of activism
THE Natal Indian Congress (NIC) was formed in 1894 to oppose racial discrimination against Indian South Africans. Prompted initially by discrimination against Indian traders, it soon took up issues affecting Indians generally. Initially, the NIC focused on the interests of Indians and looked to the British and apartheid governments for concessions. But over time, the NIC came to recognise that these interests were linked to those of Africans and “Coloureds” and, under a new radical leadership, turned more towards mass action and a recognition that Indians would have to fight for national liberation and a non-racial democracy in cooperation with other oppressed groups and progressive Whites. In some senses, this evolution of the NIC overlapped with the ANC’s evolution into a
national democratic movement. As part of the South African Indian Congress (initially formed in 1919), the NIC became part of the Congress Alliance, which included the ANC, Coloured Peoples’ Congress and Congress of Democrats (made up of progressive
Whites) and agreed to the 1955 Freedom Charter, which set out the Alliance’s aims for a non-racial democracy. The NIC also played a major role in the UDF, the Release Mandela Campaign and several community struggles across
racial boundaries. It must be remembered that the NIC was not banned and became the only legal organization to carry and implement progressive campaigns. In many
ways it became the face of the Congress Alliance in those difficult years. NIC activists have played major roles in all spheres of the liberation struggle and several were imprisoned, banned, house-arrested, forced into exile and some were killed. After 1994, several NIC members have played a useful role
in government, parliament, the civil service, judiciary and other spheres of the
state and in civil society. In short, the NIC has been an integral part of the national liberation struggle.
Many Indians feel very marginalised, alienated and rudderless at present.
Most are very negative towards the ANC, and many have given up on our non racial democracy. Many are retreating into a "racial shell", that will only serve to increase racial polarisation. These negative tendencies are also found in
other communities too, sometimes in different forms. These tendencies have become worse since the July 2021 social unrest, the failure of the eThekwini municipality to adequately address the 2022 flood disaster and the lack of provision of basic municipal services to people.
While in general relations between Africans and Indians have improved since 1994 as evidenced by the grassroots interactions of ordinary people in communities and in the workplace, there remain risks to this positive development.
The aftermath of the July 2021 Unrest must still be dealt with. The competition for jobs and business opportunities among the tenderpreneurial class easily leads to racial stereotyping. So too with perceptions about affirmative action. This issue must therefore receive our serious concern and attention. There are also increasing divisions across religious lines within the Indian community. The NIC was a powerful example of bringing people together across all divides in a non-sectarian way. This spirit must be revived and strengthened. We also need to raise concern about international agendas that foster division. We must resist this and assert our historical unity.
With the petering out of the NIC following the unbanning of the ANC, a vacuum was created. It is incumbent on a progressive leadership to intervene in a variety of ways, including through government, various state institutions, the private sector, religious, cultural, sport, community, NGO and other organisations and other sections of civil society to reduce the racial and class polarisation in our country, and in this province in particular.
Why observe the 130th Anniversary of the NIC at this time. This is not a new programme. Activists have been observing the NIC Anniversary at regular intervals with the last being the 125th Anniversary in 2019. On its own the anniversary of the NIC is worth observing. The NIC made a significant and historic contribution to the history of our country. Most importantly, the values and traditions of the Congress Alliance in
respect of unity, non-racialism, equality, economic justice, and nation building are worthy of regular recognition. Progressives need to remind
Indians, and society at large, of the long and important role that the NIC and Indians played in the struggle for a
non-racial and non-sexist democracy and that this democracy is also their historical creation and belongs to them as much as to other South Africans. There is also the responsibility in whatever way to deal with the challenges of our troubled democracy with its fading non-racialism. We can’t run away from
the country’s problems. South Africans of Indian origin also fought for this democracy and so we have to continue to struggle to rescue it. This is our country. We have to make it work. We have no other choice.
This is not an attempt to revive the NIC as a political organisation. We certainly wish to advance it’s legacy on ethical leadership, non racialism, equality, and economic justice. The programme will have several activities over the rest of this year. We hope that it will also become a platform for vibrant discussion and debate especially for younger people.