§hdfd~ ... ~h ...a·d :Kti..... •n-= 80 • • THE INDIAN IN SOUTH AFRICA Ho11'ble ~r.hafa'at Ahmad Ji{han, member of the Provisional Government . • oHndia, at a party in South Africa • The Indian in South Africa By SIR SH.AFA'AT .AHM.AD- KHAN KIT ABIS TAN ·ALLAHABAD . FIRST PuBLISHED IN 1946 ' COPYRIGHT RESERVED BY THE AUTHOR PlliNTED BY J• K. SHARMA AT'THE ALLAHABAD LAW JOURNAL PRESS, ALLAHABAD .AND PUBLISHED BY KITABISTAN, ALLAHAB.AD PREFACE The book contains speeches delivered in ~941-1945 to cultural and political· organisations in South Af:Qca. It does not deal with the history of the Indian commu­ nity during this period,· as this would have involved reference to many confidential documents whlch must~ for obvious reasons, remain confidential for the presf1e1t. I have made no change in the text of the addresses and they are published in the form in which they were deli- vered at the time •• Only a few, words have been added here and there to make them intelligible. Tlie address on ~ej Indian community was delivered in 1942. It has been recast and brought up-to-date. In this address, I have discharged the function of a rapportefll' and summarised the viewpoints of different schools of thought on lhe issue. Hence this section expresses the v}ews of all sections of Indian opinion. The Government of India are not respon­ sible for the views expressed in this book. No confidential documents have been used for the purpose, and~ arklres~ on the Indian community in South Africa, which has been re-written, is based wholly on published material. I have added a supplementary section, section VII, to bring th~ story of the Indian race in South Africa ua-t.Q­ date. It deals 'irith the controversy over the Land Tenure Bill. Photographs ofsome important events hav~ also been added. vi PREFACE I am grateful.to my old pupil, nt. }3isheshwar Prasad, 1 lfecturer in: Hi~tory, Allahabad University, for the trouble he has taken in seeing the book through the press. His 'help~as been indispensable. If the book serVes to improve relations between India and South Mrica, and Europeans and Indians· in the Union of South Mrica, I sha~ be ampJy rewtrded~ NEW DELHI THEAU'I'HOR c April, 1946 CONTEN'I'S PAGES SECTION I-INDIAN CoMMUNITY IN '£HE UNION OF SOU'l'H AFRICA Racial elements in the 'population-the European and the non-European •• I Hertzog deprives the Native of the parliamentary votl and subjects him to other disabilities • • . ~ • • • Emigration of Indians into Natal, the Cape and the Transvaal · • • • ~ • • j-6 Occupational distribution • • . 6-8 Cheapness and efficiency.oflndian labour 9 Discriminatory laws against the Indian worker ~- · Io-Jo3 Prosperity of Natal and the Transvaal due to the skill and · industry of the Indians • • • • · 13-16 Indians in the Transvaal •• 16-I7· Legislation against the Indian in Natal during IB!H-19o9 17-19 Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagi:aha; Gandhi-Smuts Pact 19-23 Segregation a part of the European creed a. Cape Town Agreement of 1927 • • • • • • • • • • 2.3-:-30 Feetham and Broome Commissions 30 The Pegging Act of 1943 31-35 Agitation against the Act •• .J .. 36 The Pretoria Pact,. I 944 •. ~6-37 Colour Bar in South Mrica 38~41 Dr: Matan•s advocacy of the Indian Case . 41-42. Failure of the Church to mitigate 'the rigours of Colour-Bar • • • • . • · • • • • · 44-U7•• University of Witwatersrand's contributi~n to the liberal cause in South Mrica · 4S_:46 The South Mrican Labour Party •• 46-48 Indian Trade Unions in Natal 49 viii CONTENTS PAGES The Indian •in East Mrica (Kenya, ~ ganda and Tanganyika) 49-H ~European elements in population-Mrikaner, English bdJewish . .• .• Classes from which Indian community in the Union is drawn 63-66 The Natal Indian Congress and the Indians in Natal (7-75 Objections against the presence of Indians discussed 75....:...78 Need of restoration of franchise to Indians 78-79 Franchisw qualifications and representation in Councils­ Direct negotiation between the Union Government . and the Government. of India suggested for settle­ ment of all disputes Education of ltl.dians ']:'he Social uplift of the Indian Community : Segrega­ tion laws 96-107 • Colonial system <ff Latin Nations . 107-110 Causes of discrimination in Mrica IIC>--111 The author's visit to Libya 111-112. Deterioration of the situation in 1945 • • . 113-118 Appendix A. The PeggingAct-important Sections .• II8-I2.3 Appenctx B. Main stages in the growth of Anti- Asiatic agitation •• • .123-12.7 SECTION II-DUTCH AND INDIAN CULTURE 12.8-186 Salient features of Boksburg and condition of Indians .. there • • • • • • • • • . In;rcoribe between India and Europe. of mutual benefit Erasmus, the embodiment of Dutch Spirit Achievements of the Dutch-William the Silent-Dutch struggle with the Portuguese in the South Seas-The '~consequences of Amboyna 135-138 The Voortrekkers-President Kruger 139-150 · I~dians' part in the making of modern Natal ljC>--161 Indians ip the Transvaal •. 162.. Renl\lssance in New India .. 164 CONTENTS . ix PAGES India's contribution to World Culture-Music~Medie­ I val Saints-work of Asoka and Harsha 165-170 Mugbal institutions and culture .. 179-flfo India's debt to American missionaries 18z-183 Indian problem to be judged from a new angle 184-186 SECTION m-~EuRoPEAN Co-oPERATioN I87~2H ( 1) Progress of Natal 188-192 Indian Pioneers in Natal • • . • • • . 192 Defects of the Indian make-u~Educational deficiencies -Need of an Indian University College . • !. Indian Immigration into Natal-Heroism of the Indian youth (z) Address at the South Mrican Institute b£-Race Relations at Pietermaritzburg •. Z.ZJ:-25$' Social growth in South Africa .•• ZZ7-Z30 European Culture • • a 231-1l-33 'l Condition of early Indian immigrants-Raising of th; Standard of living and assimilation of Western ideas and mode of life • • • • • • • • . • • 2H-Z31.._ Indians in industry and agriculture, commerce and trade 237-241 Indian education-Need of a l'et=hnical College ., 241-244 Unemployment-Poor Relief-Post-Waf Readjustment 244-24~ Housing of Indians 246-248 Social Service •• i 248 Conclusion •• 248-255 SECTION IV-EDUCATION OF THE INDIANS $'-. 2"56-311 (1) Speech at Doornufontei.ti.Indian School at Johan- nesburg · Free and compulsory elementary education Ideal system of education in Plato's 'Republic' •. (z) Address to the Negro teachers at the Adams College1 Natal • • . • • • • • • • • • . 261-z87 Principles and theories of Education z6i-273 Mill's views on the subject-John Adams' EvolutiOf.\Of Educational theory; Herbert Spencer's conception of education · .. ~ 273-274 X CONTENTS • PAGES Prof. Jo~ DeW'ey-Technique of education-Problems of a teacher • . • • • • • • • • . • • • jeaching of History and the Oassics---Marxian inter- . pletation of history • • · • • • • • . • • Russian educational system {3) Address at Gold Street Government Indian School, ~hannesburg Indian Education in the Transvaal-Progress of the com- munity-The Renaissance in India .. {4) Add,ress in honour of General Piennar, Administrator of the Tfansvaal at Laugham Hotel, Johannesburg •• The Transvaal Commission of 1937 SECTION v -l'Hi INDIAN PROBLEM IN SOUTH AFRICA (1) Speech to Natal Indian Association •. Close contact between India ~nd Natal-Start of Mahatma Gan~s career 312 ~verse~' Department's solicitude for Indians Overseas 313-314 Two Indian bodies in Natal · 314 Indian's motto in South Mri~Unity and solidarity •• 31, Fundamental changes in India during the last two decades 316-317 India's pa.t in World War II · •• 318-319 · (z) Reply to welcome aqdress at Cape Town •• 320-338 Beauty of Durban, Johannesburg, Praetoria and Cape Town 3Zl-3ZZ Work of the High Commissioner •. 323-324 India '"Act ~1931 •• 3Z3-3ZS The Indian Renaissance 327-328 Indian Army and India's part in World War II .p8-HZ Comparative backwardness of Indians ln Cape Province 3H-HS National policy of the Overseas Department H6 I:da-Eur9pean Co-operation.Essential' •• H7 (3) :;peech at the South Mrican Indian Congress, Johannesburg Work of tht Congress praised Progresi made by Indians in South Mrica CONTENTS xi PAGES • The Interim Act of•1939 and Pegging Act of 194) (4) Address to Natal Indian Congress, Durban Necessity of developing lllumonious reiations with , .""' ' Europeans 3H-H4 Unity among Natal Indians stressed . 3H-H7 Importance of social security 358 (J) Inaugural address to the Natal Indian Congress 361.1..388 Indians in Natal-work of Mr. A. I. Kajee-Mr. P. R. Pather and Mr. S. R. Naid.oo •• Foundation of the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 ~ Mahatma Gandhi · Indo-European Co-operation and freedom from disCrimi- nating laws-essential needs of Indians · • . • . 368-373 Problem of Indian housing in Durban • • • • 374. The disastrous consequences of the Pegging Act 374-375 Broome Commission's (of 1937) recommendation •• 37J-377 Political rights for the Indian Community • 377-!'19 Programme for Natal Indian Congress - •• 379-388 SECTION VI-FAREWELL TO .AFiuCA 389-399 (1) Speech at City Hall, Cape Town-Glories of India'~ Past-Buddha, Asoka and Akbar • • . • • • • 389-393• Indian progress in modern times: United'lndiaessential 394-397 (1) Speech to Transvaal Indian Congress at Johannes- burg •.• 4oo-41 J The City of Johannesburg 401-40Z Problems facing ·Indians in the Tran~aal-Ra~ bitterness after the war-Formation of the Anti-Asiatic League. 1917,Cape TownAgreement-Feetham Com- mission-The Interim and Pegging Acts • • . • 403-408 , Trade Licenses. Housing • • 4o8-4u Indians place in Transvaal economic and political life : ._., The Transvaal Indian Congress • . • . ' 4U-4ZJ (3) Farewell speech to Natal Indian Congress 41~474 Functions of the Indian Ambassador y 416 The Pegging Act • fd-419 xu CONTENTS PAGES ,The Praetoria. Pact (1944)-Racial discJmination- Natal Ordinances 43o-437 .Structure of Segregation-Its consequences 437-440 J.