BRIDGLAL PACHAI BRIDGLAL PACHAI THE -.-OUTH AFIC ID N QUSTO 1860971 Bridglal Pachai The first Indians came to South Africa as a result of a tripartite pact in which the Governments of Natal, India and Great Britain were involved. They came to serve the interests of the White Sugar Planters in Natal. From this beginning considerable hostility developed. As the descendants of the first indentured labourers and traders began to make headway in different parts of South Africa they earned the labels of 'menace' and 'problem'. Their plight became the subject matter for inter-governmental negotiations, Imperial Conferences, the League of Nations and, finally, the United Nations. What have they done to earn this opprobrium? How do they feature in the society, economics and politics of South Africa? These and other issues are discussed by the author who is himself the descendant of an Indian indentured labourer. Professor Pachai, the author and editor of several books and numerous articles on Africa, was the first South African Indian to obtain the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in South Africa. He has travelled widely in Africa, Europe and North America and is at present Professor of History at the University of Malawi, Chancellor College. THE INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION, 1860-1971 OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR The History of 'Indian Opinion' Malawi Past and Present (ed., with G. W. Smith and R. K. Tangri) The Memoirs of a Malawian (ed.) An Early History of Malawi (ed.) THE INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN QUESTION 1860-1971 B. PACHAI PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI, CHANCELLOR COLLEGE NC - yU , tt- -- 9 ',, ¢, . +,; C. STRUIK (PTY) LTD. CAPE TOWN 1971 C. Struik (Pty) Ltd. Africana Specialist and Publisher Copyright © 1971 by B. Pachai ISBN 0 86977 008 X PRINTED IN SOUTH AFRICA BY GOTHIC PRINTING COMPANY LIMITED, FIR STREET, OBSERVATORY, CAPE To my parents, and the humble village of Umbulwana on the outskirts of Ladysmith which is my South African birthplace and home. CONTENTS Preface List of Abbreviations CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN A domestic issue reaches national and international propo 1860-1900 The genesis of an international issue, 1900-1914 The beginning and the end of repatriation: the first 1914-1927 The beginning and the end of repatriation: the second 1927-1939 The significance of the war years, 1939-1945 The road to United Nations, 1945- 1946 The United Nations, 1946-1950 The United Nations, 1950-1961 The South African Indian question as an international Conclusion Epilogue: developments since 1961 Page ix xi rtions, I 21 phase, 73 phase, 126 151 184 197 236 issue: 272 275 Definition Clause: Transvaal Immigrants Restrictions Act, 15/1907 Summary of the recommendations of the Indian Inquiry Commission, 1914 Asiatic Population Censuses, 1904-1946 The Smuts-Gandhi Agreement. Imperial Conference Resolution: 1921 Cape Town Agreement: 1927 Joint Communique: 1932 . The Kunzru-D6ngesTalks:1950 . Bibliography Index 296 309 APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX 284 284 286 287 290 290 294 295 PREFACE This book, which is based largely on material submitted for a Ph.D. degree of the University of Natal, concerns itself with the international aspects of the South African Indian question: the aspects which deal with inter-governmental matters as between states and countries (such as between the South African Republic and Natal, before the days of Union, and India and Great Britain) and international aspects involving international institutions such as the League of Nations and the United Nations. In short, the scope of this study embraces both inter-national as well as international aspects. Though the aim is not to deal with local, national or domestic issues at length, it is necessary to point out that these issues cannot be ignored or overlooked. Any issue only reaches international proportions after it transcends its national limits. The external or international plane is nothing more than the lengthened shadow of the internal or national plane. Any understanding of the one is not possible, at least with any thoroughness, without a discussion, however brief, on the other. But pains have been taken to ensure that the international aspects do not take second place to the national aspects; local events have been dealt with as briefly as is necessary to elucidate the main points of this study. Another facet of this study is that it cannot be dealt with in isolation. The Indian Question (which today represents the story of only 3 per cent of South Africa's population) cannot be entirely divorced from the rest of South Africa's racial problems and this study takes note of this situation. An Epilogue has been included in the last chapter to bring the story of the South African Indian up to date. This has been necessary not only because the study from which this book has emerged itself stopped with the introduction of the Republic of South Africa in 1961 but more because the decade following it has been a significant one. Much of Africa has since become independent and in South Africa old policies have hardened and new ones have appeared. In these developments the international influences have had their say, with varying results. When the thesis was originally written I was still in South Africa. Times were hard and financial support was hard to come by. In those difficult days local support was almost non-existent. It was not "fashionable" for a backwood man, the son of an ex-indentured labourer, to be engaged in such pursuits. No South African Indian had before this obtained a doctorate in History. To say the least, it was not the thing to do. The fact that the undertaking succeeded at all was due to my Supervisor, Professor Edgar H. Brookes, Head of the Department of History and Political Science of the University of Natal, who not only provided me with academic guidance but often found me sums of money to tide me through my many financial crises. He has remained a good friend. Two of my colleagues in the service of the Natal Education Department must be remembered. They are Dallip H. Singh and Sarwanth L. Sewgolam. For documentary material, I am grateful for the help I received from the United Nations headquarters; the Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs; the South African Institute of Race Relations; the Natal Society Library; the University of Natal Library; the Natal Archives and the Killie Campbell Library. Individuals who made available their private collections were Messrs. Muthray Pillay, S. R. Naidoo, P. R. Pather, S. B. Mungal, all of Natal, South Africa, and H. S. L. Polak of the United Kingdom. Mrs. D. Bramdaw of the Leader and Mrs. Manilal Gandhi of Indian Opinion also helped. This publication is due partly to the encouragement given by the Indian Council for Africa, New Delhi. My wife and I were fortunate to make our first visit to India in 1969 when I participated in a Seminar on Indians Abroad mounted by the Indian Council for Africa and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. I was struck by -the deep and genuine interest in the history of Indians abroad. In particular where the history of the African continent was concerned the situation in South Africa was necessary to compare and contrast general and particular trends in the rest of the continent. Publication economies have necessitated the inevitable excision of a considerable part of the original thesis. This has led to both losses and gains and whatever its present shortcomings every effort has been made to put across the main points of the original work. This Preface is being finished off, in revised form, in Malawi where I have been for the past six years. Here, as in my many peregrinations since we left South Africa, my wife has given me much of her time and patience in many kindly ways, not least in the preparation of typescripts for publication. To her, and to other members of the family in Malawi and South Africa, I say "thank you" for having helped to launch me on my way many years ago. Much has happened since those humble beginnings. B. PACHAI 9th February, 1971. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED U.G. N.P.P. N. and I.B.B. C.S.O. N.B.B. U.N. U.N.O. S.A.I.C. N.I.C. N.I.A. S.A.I.O. T.I.C. G.H. B.P.P. Cd. I.I. G.N. N.I.O. A.S.C. U.K. U.S.A. U.S.S.R. U.D.F. S.A.I.R.R. I.C.S. Union Government Publication. Natal Parliamentary Papers. Natal and Imperial Blue Books. Natal Colonial Secretary's Office. Natal Blue Books. United Nations. United Nations Organisation. South African Indian Congress. Natal Indian Congress. Natal Indian Association. South African Indian Organisation. Transvaal Indian Congress. Natal Government House. British Parliamentary Papers. Imperial Blue-Book Correspondence. Indian Immigration Records, Natal. Government Notice, Natal. Natal Indian Organisation. Anti-Segregation Council. United Kingdom. United States of America. Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Union Defence Force. South African Institute of Race Relations. Indian Civil Service, India. CHAPTER ONE A DOMESTIC ISSUE REACHES NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROPORTIONS: 1860-1900 "The coming of the Indians to Natal was no spontaneous uncontrolled movement of adventurous individuals seeking a better livelihood than their home country gave them. It was part of an elaborate system organised and controlled by the Governments of Great Britain and India." -DR.