Gandhi in South Africa
Gandhi in South Africa: When Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) arrived in South Africa in 1893, approximately 62,000 Indians were living across the self-governing British colonies of Natal and the Cape, as well as the Boer republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State (OFS).
Of these, 42,000 resided in Natal, 15,000 in the Cape, and 5,000 in the Transvaal, with only a small number in the OFS. Most Indians in Natal were either indentured laborers working on five-year contracts in sugar plantations and industries or ex-indentured individuals participating in the free labor market and petty trade.
A smaller percentage consisted of traders, about a dozen of whom established significant commercial enterprises. Those in the Transvaal and the Cape worked primarily as traders or laborers. The immigrant population exhibited great cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity, originating from multiple regions of the Indian subcontinent.
Gandhi, a London-trained barrister, came to South Africa initially to resolve a dispute between two Indian business partners but soon became deeply involved in South African Indian politics until his departure for India in 1914. His role can be divided into two phases: before and after 1906.
In the earlier phase, Gandhi focused on protecting the interests of the Indian commercial elite through organizations like the Natal Indian Congress (NIC), founded in 1894, and the British Indian Association, established in 1903 in the Transvaal. Prior to Gandhi’s arrival, such interests were represented by loosely structured groups lacking an effective organizer and articulate spokesperson in English.
Gandhi filled this gap, aligning closely with the views of the commercial elite. He promoted the concept of “Indianness” to frame the rights of Indian immigrants within the broader context of the British Empire. To propagate this idea, he launched the Indian Opinion in 1903, aiming to unite diverse immigrant communities under a shared identity and advocate for equality as British subjects.
Despite his efforts, polite constitutional protests failed to prevent anti-Indian legislation in Natal, while British imperial authorities embraced segregationist policies in the Transvaal post-South African War (1899–1902) to foster unity between Boers and Britons. White authorities increasingly sought to restrict Indian immigration, which had grown to over 149,000 by 1911.
After 1906, Gandhi integrated his moral and ethical principles with political strategy, emphasizing truth (satya) and nonviolence (ahimsa) as the foundation for justice. He argued that duty demanded sacrifice and faith in God, principles upon which he launched the satyagraha (truth force) campaign in the Transvaal in 1906.
When the campaign began in earnest in 1907, it garnered support from around 3,000 resisters, including members of the commercial elite. However, by 1909, many merchants withdrew their backing, prioritizing political over moral imperatives and viewing Gandhi’s methods as impractical. This led to a formal split with the NIC in October 1913, prompting Gandhi to establish the Natal Indian Association.
Before this split, Gandhi had secured financial support from prominent figures in India, notably Gopal K. Gokhale, whose influence bolstered Gandhi’s leadership. Recognizing the need for local allies following South Africa’s unification in 1910, Gandhi refrained from seeking support among African and “colored” leaders, believing it essential to separate issues affecting indigenous populations from those concerning immigrant communities.
With dwindling support, Gandhi turned to the ex-indentured Indians in Natal, addressing their concerns about education and interstate travel restrictions. Although cautious about expanding the campaign too broadly, he waited for opportune moments to act. In March 1913, a ruling by Justice Searle of the Cape Supreme Court invalidated Hindu and Muslim marriages, providing Gandhi with a rallying point.
He mobilized Indian women to join the struggle. By June 1913, he resolved to address the burdensome three-pound tax affecting indentured and ex-indentured Indians. In September, he formally resumed the campaign, incorporating the tax issue into its demands. Encouraged by trusted supporters, he urged mine workers to strike, leading to a surge of 5,000 strikers by late October.
Unexpectedly, 15,000 Indian workers in coastal sugar districts also joined the movement, paralyzing services and industries throughout Natal. Determined to escalate the campaign, Gandhi led over 2,200 strikers on a march from Natal into the Transvaal in November, defying legal prohibitions.
Compounding the government’s challenges was a simultaneous strike by white railway workers, forcing Interior Minister Jan C. Smuts to negotiate with Gandhi. Despite reservations, Gandhi agreed to a settlement formalized in the Indian Relief Act of 1914, marking a significant victory. Nevertheless, critics felt the agreement fell short of fully securing the inherent rights of South African Indians.
Gandhi’s legacy persisted in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly through the continued use of the imperial framework in South African Indian politics. His ideas also inspired resistance to apartheid in subsequent decades.
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