Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Hon members, I think the debate today is indeed an historic moment for us. I listened carefully to the responses of the various political parties, and it is outstanding how all of us have come together with a common view in celebrating this historic moment of the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Indian indentured labour in South Africa. I was struck by the absence of any attempt by the political parties to use this debate to score political points. They have rather paid tribute to the common recognition that all our people are giving to this historic event.
I must say that I was rather surprised that the hon Bhoola from the MF still tried to be a bit of a tiger by bringing in a little bit of politics, when he made comments about the feelings of the Indian people towards the policies of the ruling party, which I did not think was quite true.
The last speaker referred to Strini Moodley and I am reminded of what Strini experienced when he was sitting on the beach in Durban and dipping his feet into the sea, alongside his friend Steve Biko. A white constable came up to Strini and said, "Hey you, what do you think you are doing? Don't you know this beach is reserved for whites?" Strini looked at Steve Biko and then said, "Steve, tell him - he doesn't know." The policeman looked very puzzled and asked Steve what Strini was talking about. Steve said, "Well, don't you know that this is the Indian Ocean?" [Laughter.]
Sumit Chakravartty, in a foreword to a book called Gandhiji's vision of a free South Africa - a collection of articles by Enuga Reddy - said that the establishment of a nonracial, democratic government in South Africa under the leadership of Nelson Mandela - the vision of Gandhi - in a spirit of reconciliation remained a binding source of strength and an inspiration to all South African people. In 1908 Gandhi said: If we look into the future, is it not a heritage we have to leave to posterity, that all the different races commingle and produce a civilisation that perhaps the world has not yet seen?
In paying a special tribute to the historic contribution of Gandhi and his vision for the future of humanity, President Mandela said in September 1992 that Gandhi was a South African and his memory deserved to be cherished then and in post-apartheid South Africa. We must never lose sight of the fact that the Gandhian philosophy may be a key to human survival in the 21st century.
Connecting Gandhi's contribution to national developments in South Africa, Gandhi repeatedly emphasised until the end of his life that he was both an Indian and a South African. He did not consider himself as belonging to Indian South Africans alone, but to all South Africans. He asserted without any trace of ambiguity that the spirit of Gandhi lived not only in the hearts of Indians struggling against racism and for a nonviolent democratic society, but also in those of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Archbishop Tutu, the Rev Beyers Naud and indeed many others.
In recognition of the contribution that his South African experience gave to the evolution of his ideas, Gandhi told the Kanpur Congress in 1925:
Indians of South Africa claim that they have given me to you. I accept that claim. It is perfectly true that whatever service I have been able to render ... to India, comes from South Africa.
Despite being born in India he, Gandhi, was certainly made in South Africa.
Another feature of the special significance of his influence was the friendship that emerged between Mahatma Gandhi and the Rev John Langalibalele Dube, who was to become the first President General of the ANC. Both men were involved in work for their communities; Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress and Rev Dube founded the Natal Native Congress, which was the precursor of the ANC.
Many historians have argued that this friendship and collaboration inspired the joint co-operation between Indians and Africans in the years of the freedom struggle that followed. History also gives credit to the outstanding contribution of Dr Yusuf Dadoo, who focused his attention on the building of an alliance of Indians and Africans as the basis for the widest unity of the people against racism. Dr Dadoo became an architect of the unity of all oppressed people in the struggle to end racist tyranny, so much so that the ANC honoured him in 1955 with the award of the decoration of Isitwalandwe/Seaparankoe.
In his recent state of the nation address, President Zuma stated that our country would mark the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians. He affirmed that the celebration provided an opportunity to recognise the important contribution of the Indian community in the fields of business, labour, science, sports, religion and culture, and the achievement and consolidation of our democracy.
From humble beginnings as cane cutters in the sugar cane fields in KwaZulu- Natal to a significant presence in virtually every economic facet of human lives, the Indian community have made an outstanding contribution to the evolution of our democratic society. Today, the sugar industry in South Africa ranks as one of the major manufacturers of sugar and sugar by- products.
Whilst South Africa can boast that it is perhaps with humility, people of Indian origin can also boast of the fact that their labour pioneered this industry. Today, as we celebrate, we also recognise the very perilous circumstances that these pioneers from India faced. So, when we look at the economy today and the sugar industry, viewed against the background of the conditions of work, one sometimes does get angry, but by celebrating their arrival we salute them for having made the contributions that they did even though they lived under circumstances which were like slavery.
One can also not discount the role played by indentured labourers of Indian origin in the transport sector in Natal. Their labour, together with British technology, successfully built the railway network that we have today inherited in our country.
It is in the coal mines and the sugar fields that the seed of modern day trade unionism was born in South Africa. Indian workers formed their own unions, mainly in the sugar industry, and by the 1930s gravitated towards the SA Communist Party. Nonracial industrial unions were formed in the late 1930s with largely Indian leadership. In some ways it is not without significance that Harry Naidoo, the trade unionist, was about the first trade unionist to unionise African workers in the sugar industry.
In 1952, when the Group Areas Act was passed, it was designed to break both the economic and social fabric of people of Indian origin. Notwithstanding all of this, among several activities, the Indian leadership became a central part of evolving the resistance movement in unity with African people and other democrats.
In 1955 the Indian leadership, together with the community, made their mark at Kliptown in their participation in the development of the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People. Today their presence is evidenced in significant numbers in the professional and commercial stratums in society. They have had significant achievements in the medical, legal and education fields and the Public Service, and indeed in academia. The significance far outweighs their numbers in relation to the size of the population. They built in the spirit of the pioneers, who built their own churches, schools, temples, mosques and churches, and in the spirit of sacrifice and service. They are also respected and admired for their exceptional entrepreneurial energy and enterprise, and for always being ready to take the gap first.
The history of South Africa's liberation struggle documents the outstanding contributions made by many Indian compatriots to the freedom struggle. Names such as Yusuf Dadoo, Monty Naicker, Dr Goonam, Ahmed Kathrada, George Sewpersadh, Billy Nair, MJ Naidoo and Mewa Ramgobin stand out. In the ANC, the SA Community Party and uMkhonto weSizwe names such as Mac Maharaj, Essop and Aziz Pahad, Laloo Chiba and Ebrahim Ebrahim stand out as legends for the contribution that they have made.
Today, as we mull over the struggles and tribulations of Indians in South Africa, the insights bring home the poignancy of their enslaved exile. Torn from their moorings, through sheer depth of hardship and diligence they put down new roots, turned barren land verdant and metamorphosed into loyal and abiding nationals of their country of adoption.
Indians growing up in Africa have had a rich and challenging life of immigration, indenture and struggle politics. I am a product of this heritage. My forefathers came from the South of India, having left behind a way of life, relations, culture, cuisine, music, language, religion and rich ethic tradition. When Indians left India's shores, mainly for economic reasons, either as indentured labourers or passenger traders, they brought along with them a fearless determination to succeed and take on the character of the country of their adoption while retaining their religious and cultural roots.
I am a living example of this testimony of a proud heritage that my forefathers built for me 150 years ago with their blood, their sweat and their tears. And out of their toil I emerged, having metamorphosed from various historical designations of coolie, ikula, iNdiya, Asiatic, Indian, charra to the pinnacle of my new identity as a fully-fledged South African. [Applause.]
I am a unique creation, unlike my counterparts in the rest of Africa. I have a proud heritage of tilling the soil, picking up the garbage, planting the vegetables, sweeping the streets, selling fruit and vegetables in the marketplace, waiting at tables in hotels, working in the coal mines, selling newspapers and driving buses.
Though a victim of apartheid, I have a proud heritage of fighting for justice and being in the vanguard against oppressive regimes with the higher-order principle of nonviolence. Now, after four generations, I can proudly say: Mother Africa has defined me, embraced me and moulded me into this unique product aptly described as "conceived in India but made in South Africa". [Applause.] Debate concluded.