Dr. G. M. Naicker, President, said that the Anti-Segregation Council candidates had been elected because the Kajee-Pather leadership had become outdated - it had left the Indian people to drift to disaster.

"We offer you our earnest desire to serve the community. We have no ambition for power. We decided to fight because we felt that your voice was not being heard. We repudiate the charge that we want to pit the poor against the rich. We hold no ill-will against anybody.

"We must mobilise all our strength to seek a better life... We are, after all, sons of South Africa; and all we want is to live as free citizens in a free world."

"There comes a time in the life of the people when the opinion of the common people jumps ahead of those few who are in control and the man-in-the-street becomes wiser than the politician."

"We will not dilly-dally with our demands. We will be bold, sensible and decisive. We will never compromise on our principles and we make it clear to the authorities that we will not go down on bended knees for crumbs. We want to live as men."

The immediate programme of the Congress would be: the demand for the unconditional repeal of the Pegging Act; the vetoing of the Natal Housing Ordinance; no segregation and no residential zoning; the removal of the provincial barriers, which were a stigma on the Indian people; adult suffrage for the Indian people; and free education for Indian children up to the Junior Certificate.

(1) From The Leader, Durban, October 27, 1945. The candidates of the Anti-Segregation Council, led by Dr. G. M. Naicker, were elected at a public meeting of over 7,000 people in Durban, as officials of the Natal Indian Congress. Dr. Naicker succeeded A. I. Kajee as President. The above is a report of his speech after the election.