THE INDIAN PROBLEM VOTELESS VICTIMS OF AFRICAN APARTHEID

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27489, 25 October 1954, Page 10

THE INDIAN PROBLEM VOTELESS VICTIMS OF AFRICAN APARTHEID

[A Review bv the South African Corrcepondeut of the "Manchester (Reprinted bp Arrangement)

Capetown. October.—The <l uesl of the Indian population m the Union of South Africa and its relations with the Government has for years been one of international interest. Indeed, it has come to be a recurring item on the agenda of the General Assembly of the United Nations . The principles involved in , the troversy between India and South Africa are sufficiently familiar to students of international affairs. But for a long time acquaintance with the facts of the situation has lagged behind the emotional passions aroused by it. A recent publication of the University ol Natal ("The Indian Community ot Natal,” by C. A. Woods. Volume IX of "The Natal Regional Survey ’) has supplied in authentic form the facts and figures which are needed. These show that in round figures out of 365.000 Indians residing in the Union 300,000 are to be found in Natal, and of these over 146.000 live in Durban. Both in Natal as a whole and in Durban they exceed the white population. The figures as given in the 1951 census are 299,068 Indians and 274 468 Europeans in Natal, and in Durban over 146.000 Indians, as against fewer than 140.000 Europeans. Although Indians were first introduced into Natal some 90 years ago to provide labour for the sugar plantations, it is noteworthy today that, out of an estimated working population of 70,350 Indians, only about 3300 are employed in the canefields. If we add 2075 more highly-paid workers m the sugar mills, it means that today the sugar industry employs only about one-twelfth of the Indian working population. A minority are employed in other fields of agriculture, such as market-gardening, and many, of course, in commerce, but the most significant section of the Indian labour force in Natal today is the 22,500 employed in secondary industries. Poverty is General Contrary to the general belief that the Indian population as a- whole is wealthy and constitutes a formidable rival to the economic position of the white man. the university research workers have shown that according to figures published in 1947 fewer than 300 Indians in Natal had incomes of more than £ 1000 a year and only seven incomes of more than £5OOO a year. Of some 53,000 in employment at that date, more than 30,000 were earning less than £lOO per annum and an additional 16.000 did not reach the £2OO level. A large proportion of the Natal Indian population still lives in extreme poverty. Among the more cheerful aspects of the “Indian question” is the provincial administration’s activity during recent years in the field of education and hospital provision. Whereas in 1920 there were only 6948 Indian children in school, the approximate number at the present time is 62,500, and the total annual expenditure a child has risen from £2 2s to well over £l5. And Indian university students have risen from fewer than a dozen in 1936 to some 200. Hospital provision has also been made on a large scale. Both these activities are, of conrse. on a segregated basis, even the higher education offered Jpy the University of Natal being given to Europeans and

non-Europeans in separate classes, ®o far as the hospital £ are concerned, Indians and a? are grouped together, and ana? Europeans and people of In the field of commerce Indian made considerable progress, k? livelihood is gravely threatened k operations of the Group Areas a is still too early to say to what this act will fulfil the worst fo- e J of its opponents, but the whole te? to group the different races in ! areas is of particular danger t Indian merchant, who relies’to 1 extent on the African Resistance Campaign Outside the Cape Province nob in the union have the parlianj franchise, except for a very f e vivors who were on the roll w? disfranchising legislation of the was passed. The municipal abolished in 1924 except for hr the register at the time. i s , diminishing factor. It is not’ of an exaggeration to say 'that tk dian community is totally disfran f Its political leaders refused rich wrongly, the limited but useful munity franchise offered by Sr As there seems no Indians being enfranchised in the seeable future, it is not unnatura the younger and more militant se of the Indian community hav vocated non-violent passive resit as a political technique. But ther ance campaign is not united- a a ate group, the Natal Indian Ore tion. has dissociated itself fron Natal Indian Congress, which i spearhead of the resistance. An poorest of the community are ]; apathetic. That there is some Conins influence in the Natal Indian Con is undoubted, but it would be a mi to represent the whole body as i munist-motivated. But to thouj South Africans the Congress, an methods as they affect Africans, at without elements of danger. Th dian. trained in methods of violence and. in South Africa at a member of a pacific communi one thing: the Zulu, a warrior bi dition, is another, and it is easyet for him to cross the borderline tween non-violent and violent n ance. No Active Intervention The more militant of the h leaders- in Natal banked heavilj pressure from outside being broui bear on the Union after their r ance campaign. They seemed to overcalled their hand. Neither nor the United Nations would a to be planning active interventit these circumstances it is difficui balanced Indian leaders to know line to take. The university research wo bring , out what should be known side the Union, that in such servit education and health great pre has been made in recent yean they- do not and cannot ansve ultimate questions. They cannot tt what the future holds for South.! in general and Natal in particular can they tell us how long the dis inations against Indians as Indian be allowed by world opinion to i tinue.