5 February 1954
Permit me first to bring to this very important conference of the Natal Indian Congress the warmest and friendliest greeting of the African National Congress and the National Action Committee.
I gladly accepted the invitation to open the conference, because I regarded it as a great honour to me, coming as it did at a time when I had just returned from a very interesting educational and inspiring trip overseas. I shall not be expected to deal with my experiences abroad. Suffice it to say that all the countries I visited enthusiastically welcomed me and took a very great interest in the almost unbelievable racial situation in South Africa.
I took advantage of this trip to put our point of view across. I did this in Israel, I did it in England, in Rumania, in Poland, in the U.S.S.R. and China. Unfortunately circumstances did not permit me to go to India, though the facilities were available to me. My presence was demanded at home. I must mention in passing, that on the three national celebrations that I attended on the 23rd of August in Rumania, the 1st of October in China and the 7th November in the U.S.S.R., I was also convinced that peace was necessary for the construction of their respective countries. I was also impressed by the Youth Festival which is promoting the friendliest relations between the youth of different countries. The International Union of Students Congress dealt with the student problems bringing them to the realities of life in a very impressive manner.
I had much to learn in China. This vast country with a very large population had just emerged from a semi-colonial status to a great power. There were many educative problems which were very much identical to ours, the difference being that they were solving them.
I was particularly happy to notice the growing relations between India and China and the manner in which the national and local papers were commending Pandit Nehru and his government for the great role that they were playing in promoting world peace. These two great nations were not only a plea to peace in Asia, as leading Asiatic countries, but they are a plea to world peace, and to us they are a guide as people who had recently overthrown the shackles of imperialism.
The people of Asia have taken a very great interest in the struggle carried on by the peoples of Africa. They are naturally opposed to the policies of imperialism.
They also believe that in the brotherhood of mankind they are keenly interested in peace. That is why Pandit Nehru vigorously opposes the racial policies of South Africa. That is why he opposes oppression in other parts of Africa. No other interest which prompts him to do this other than the fact that he has had to suffer terms of imprisonment under the yoke of imperialism.
All people who have suffered oppression, exploitation, cannot but be opposed to the continuation of such a system. They also know too well the usual stunt of oppressors, and the arch-imperialists’ ridiculous theory that the people are backward, illiterate and that freedom will be dangerous to the Western civilisation, and that they are ruling these countries in the best interests of the colonial people.
The so-called guardians of Western civilisation and Christian principles are themselves guilty of crimes for destroying humanity, using most barbarous methods. These are the people who are now conducting war against the peoples of Vietnam, Malaya and Kenya. Being aware of the fact that our fate is bound together with these colonial people and mankind as a whole, we therefore take
profound interest in the present session of the four great powers, hoping that the foreign ministers of Great Britain, U.S.S.R., and France will use their influence in convincing the Secretary of State of the U.S.A. to see wisdom, by not only agreeing to a Big Five Meeting, but also actually bringing about conditions for the admittance of China to the United Nations in the interests of world peace.
I assume that the two former Secretaries will be guided by the broad will of their people in their respective countries.
Your conference also meets at a time when the second session of the 11th Parliament of the Union of South Africa assembles as usual, not to deal with national economy of the country, nor to consider the welfare of the people of South Africa, but to consider legislation, to impose more hardship and to intensify their notorious policies of apartheid. This time they will go further than tightening up oppressive machinery against the non-Europeans. They are introducing a Bill which will place the Trade Union movement in the hands of the fascist Nationalists. They are amending the Suppression of Communism Act to give power to the Minister of Justice to do what he likes without interference by
Courts of Law. They are going to amend Group Areas Act; they will continue with the removal of the Coloured voters from the common Roll. They are preparing to introduce a law prohibiting people from travelling abroad without their approval.
Four of the above have been incorporated in our plan of action, the Defiance Campaign was based on them and our unity was forged to fight for their repeal. We shall not only oppose every amendment on it, but we shall fight until they, and others, are removed from the Statute Book.
The people who believe that these oppressive laws are designed against the Trade Unions and for the non-European only, will realise it only too late that they are also in fact designed against the financial houses to give control to the Nationalists. The Jewish Board of Deputies will then begin to see the danger of their opportunistic tendencies, when they praise Malan's administration.
The South African Indian Organisation and the United Party will not escape it, but they shall have to answer to the people for their treacherous role.
Many things which are now taking place were predicted by us long ago.
The A.N.C. in the face of this situation, has called upon the nation for an historic people's convention, which has been welcomed by the national organisations of Indians, Coloureds and Europeans…
The people in Natal will be once more in this year expected to take up their usual militancy and be proud of their past in the struggle they have conducted in the beginning of the 20th century, when men like King Solomon Cardini Zulu refused to turn against his people and suffered imprisonment, people like Bambata and others, who firmly stood for the rights of their people. It is in Natal during the same period that the well-known Mahatma Gandhi led the masses of persecuted Indians and forced the authorities to abandon their stand.
The militant Natal people must be rallied in their millions and workers must be mobilised - the women must be mobilised, the intellectuals must be mobilised, the business people who are in full agreement with our struggle must be mobilised against the oppressor.
Chief Luthuli, in opening the Conference of the Natal Indian Congress last year, said, "Let us march together to freedom." He further said that this formidable alliance is not a marriage of convenience, but a political alliance based on a common and genuine regard for true democracy.
In conclusion we believe in the brotherhood of mankind. We believe in peace and freedom. To this end it is our duty to use all our methods to bring about an end to the hostilities in Kenya. We shall oppose vigorously the plans of the Kenya settlers and the Union Government to send South African troops to crush the defenseless people in Kenya.
Having chosen the right course to freedom, we are quite confident and certain that no power in the world can permanently resist the march of freedom forces.
I now take pleasure in declaring this Conference open, and wishing you a very successful deliberation.
Mayibuye, Afrika.