Modi to visit Durban on SA trip
Local Indian organisations hope he will discuss issues of change, minorities and hate speech
ETHEKWENI Municipality has confirmed India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to Durban when he visits South Africa next month.
Modi will be hosted by mayor James Nxumalo.
He was expected to address 1 000 guests, including community and religious leaders, at the Durban City Hall on July 9, said eThekwini head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa.
Advocate Ashin Singh, a founding member of the South African Minority Rights Equality Movement (Samrem), said a visit from the prime minister would highlight many of the social and political issues faced by minorities in South Africa.
“Modi is widely respected and admired by Indian South Africans. He represents hope for Indians – it’s hoped he will intervene on behalf of minority rights. There are people saying nasty, inflammatory things about Indians and agitating for them to be repatriated to India. That’s our fight – and against university quotas.
“No one has been criminally charged for hate speech against Indians, but when Penny Sparrow made her utterances, the ANC acted against her, calling for a R200 000 fine. All we want is for him to address the plight of minorities.”
He said Modi also needed to look at affirmative action at universities.
Samrem would seek India’s support for a case against the government involving quotas and hate speech that it would raise with the UN later this year, said Singh.
While the municipality confirmed Modi’s visit, India’s High Commission did not respond to Sunday Tribune Herald queries.
Initially, it was rumoured Modi would only go to Joburg or Cape Town, despite Durban having many people who could trace their roots to India.
Two weeks ago, community leaders, businessmen and others met to discuss Modi’s visit.
Under the impression at that stage that Modi was not coming to Durban, AV Mohamed, head of the Juma Musjid Trust, said: “No reason has been given for excluding Durban.”
Singh said it did not matter if Modi came to Durban, as long as he came to South Africa and acted on minority concerns.
Modi visited the US earlier this week to strengthen ties and formalise agreements on climate change, renewable energy, security and economic issues.
The agenda for Modi’s visit to South Africa has not been made public, but news reports stated he would engage African countries before the next Indi a-Africa summit.
Ela Gandhi, the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, said she had been approached to arrange a train trip for Modi when he came to Durban, but she did not know of any official arrangements.
“I was told he was coming to Durban. Just the other day I was asked if a train trip could be arranged for him between Durban and Pietermaritzburg,” she said.
Gandhi also commented on the annual ceremony commemorating the night of June 7, 1893, that was held this week. The ceremony honoured the day that Mahatma Gandhi was thrown off a train at the Pietermaritzburg railway station, an incident that led to the establishment of the Satyagraha (passive resistance) movement.
The movement contributed significantly to liberating Indian and other marginalised groups from oppression.
Although she did not attend the event this year, Ela Gandhi stressed such ceremonies, which honoured historic figures and brought many people together, were important.