With the ruling African National Congress failing to address the concerns of the Indians in South Africa, calls for the revival of the disbanded Natal Indian Congress (NIC), founded by Mahatma Gandhi to fight injustice against community in South Africa, is growing rapidly.
This follows the remarks by prominent former anti-apartheid activist and socialist, Professor Fatima Meer, recently that there's a dire need to revive the NIC and the
South African Indian Congress because the rich history of the Congress movement in South Africa.
She said the NIC, which was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894, had played an important role in the liberation struggle and therefore it could play the same role now in
mobilising the people of Indian origin in the new South Africa. NIC had later allied itself with African National Congress.
Meer was critical of the ruling ANC, which after forcing the NIC to disband in 1994, had "got into bed" with former apartheid stooges and opportunists within the people of Indian origin.
Now scores of former activists have joined the call and supporting moves to revive the NIC.
A senior former official of the NIC, Paul Devadas David, said that one of the main reasons for disenchantment among activists was that the ANC had sacrificed its principles to invite former apartheid Indian stooges into its fold.
"This was a major mistake", he said. "We sacrificed our lives and fought against these stooges during the dark days of apartheid but yet the organisation we fought for got into bed with these opportunists."
David added, "The former activists are also disillusioned with the constant reports of fraud and corruption, rising rate of poverty among the poor, rising violent crime situation and the lack of values by some of the political upstarts.
"There's a strong demand that the NIC should be revived to represent the progressive voices within the Indian community."
David, a lawyer, said there was a need for the NIC because the Indian-origin people currently don't have an organisation that would be their voice.
"We believe the NIC can once again play this role."
Another activist, Dr Kiru Naidoo, said the ANC had failed most people and therefore Professor Meer's proposal would be a welcome move.
"I believe a lot of people will welcome the revival of the NIC because of its rich history in fighting for freedom in this country", he said.
"The ANC must admit that it has failed in drawing the support of the Indian people and therefore there's a need for an organisation such as the NIC to work within the Indian community.
"I'm pretty certain that most progressive people will welcome the move", said Dr Naidoo.
