Making A Difference

Congress Of Discord

Despite Mbeki's attack, Indians have no choice other than the ANC

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Congress Of Discord
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What should have been a joyous celebration of the 140-year anniversary of the arrival of indentured Indians in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal (kzn) province was tinged with controversy when President Thabo Mbeki launched a scathing attack on the world's largest Indian population outside India. Accusing them of being apathetic, Mbeki criticised the Indian community for alienating itself from the African majority and supporting the Democratic Alliance, a newly-formed coalition of the former whites-only Democratic Party and the National Party. He also warned Indians to not complain about being left out of decision-making processes as long as they don't throw in their lot with the majority.

Mbeki's attack on the Indian population, a small but significant 13 per cent of the South African electorate, provoked a backlash that may have cost the ruling African National Congress (anc) a large chunk of the "Indian vote" in last Tuesday's local government elections. Fearing permanent estrangement, leading anc members desperately tried to smooth over the cracks. Said Valli Moosa, minister of environment and tourism, "You're often told that you are from a minority grouping. We're not the minority. We're part of the majority. We are Indo-Africans. The Indian community has played a great role in the freedom struggle." Similarly, the anc-aligned mayor for the Durban Metropolitan area, Obed Mlaba, argued, "The Indian sugarfield workers dug their heels in and laid the foundation stone for their South African nationhood. In your fight and your ancestors' fight against injustice, you were partners with us in the anc. Together we conquered apartheid. Let's celebrate this too."

Perhaps the greatest attempt at addressing deep-seated Indian concerns came from former president Nelson Mandela. Calling on Indians to be "part of the solution and not part of the problem", he asked the new leadership to contain over-confidence and arrogance in its ranks so that the minorities don't feel marginalised. "Because of the arrogance of some in the majority, there's a minority that's insecure and is not so sure what the new regime will bring," said Mandela. Veteran anti-apartheid activist and sociologist Prof Fatima Meer feels the disenchantment of Indians with the anc would have dissuaded them from voting for the party in the election. She feels this is a reaction to the anc's failures, particularly in alleviating poverty among Indians, compounded by the fact that the ruling party didn't appear to be overly concerned about the widening gulf between itself and the Indian community.

Indians are incensed at Mbeki. For instance, 24-year-old law graduate Deena Pillay fumes: "We've a long and proud history of struggle with our African brethren. As president, Mbeki should be striving for nation-building and not sowing seeds of racial discord." Pillay was estranged from the anc due to dissatisfaction over the implementation of some of its policies, especially its affirmative action policy. "When it comes to entry into universities or jobs, Indians are grossly marginalised. During apartheid, we weren't white enough. Sadly, now it seems we're not black enough," he says. Unemployment and poverty apart, rampant crime, constant fuel hikes and Mbeki's repeated bungling over the hiv/aids issue have also caused Indian alienation.

"But there's no viable alternative to the anc," complains schoolteacher Chantal Naidoo. She feels the lack of any politician or party that could effectively champion the Indian community's cause denies it a powerful political voice. While there are some stalwarts like Amichand Rajbansi, leader of the Minority Front, Naidoo articulates the angst of the community when she says, "In my eyes, Rajbansi's credibility has been forever tarnished by his collaboration with the apartheid regime," adding wryly, "In any case, he's recently entered into a marriage of convenience with the anc, so it's clear whose tune he'll dance to."

However, Andrew Ragavaloo, mayoral incumbent for Richmond, a major flashpoint area in kzn, proudly proclaims that he has no political home other than the anc. Indeed, in the absence of a suitable alternative, a sizeable proportion of Indians remain aligned with the black majority in South Africa—irrespective of what Mbeki may think or say.

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