The Liberation Struggle in South Africa

The Liberation Struggle in South Africa

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1900-1959

1960-1994

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Timeline

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1939-1948:- The Second World War and its impact

1939

Aliens Registration Act No 26 is passed

James Calata tours the union in the hope that dormant ANC branches could be revived.

The Non-European Front is formed.

Fietas, Johannesburg: The Asiatic Land Tenure and Trading Act is passed. 'Coloured' people start rent boycotts against 'slumlords' in Pageview. They voluntarily moved to the Coronation Township and Albertsville.

Govan Mbeki publishes Transkei in the Making a work of political analysis which is deeply critical of the system of local government in the Transkei.

March, Dr Yusuf Dadoo forms the Nationalist Bloc in the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC).

"The NEUP's first major Western Cape campaign culminated in March 1939 in a massive march on Parliament against residential segregation"

March 1, The Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) calls a meeting to protest against latest anti-Indian measures (including the proposed servitude scheme of the Minister of the Interior, Mr Richard Stuttaford). The meeting is attended by one thousand people - a large number as the total Indian population of Transvaal numbers only about 25,000 at this time.

April, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an Indian philosopher and statesman, visits South Africa.

The first national conference of the Non-European United Front (NEUF) is held in Cape Town. The national committee of the NEUF includes:

• Mrs. Zainunnissa (Cissie) Gool, Chairperson
• Moses Kotane, Secretary
• R.G. Baloyi, Senior Vice-President
• W.H. Andrews, Treasurer
• H.A. Naidoo
• Yusuf Dadoo*

May 7, A mass meeting of Indians, organised by the Nationalist Bloc of the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC), is held at Patidar Hall, Johannesburg, under the Chairmanship of E.I. Asvat, and attended by 3,000 people. Dr. Yusuf Dadoo is elected to lead Passive Resistance against what becomes the Asiatic (Transvaal Land and Trading) Act of 1939.

June 4, The Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) leadership calls another protest meeting and gangs of thugs appear with lethal weapons. They begin beating members of the Nationalist Bloc. Dr. Yusuf Dadoo escapes narrowly and one of his supporters, Dahyabhai Govindji, is disembowelled and dies on 8 June. Nine other persons are injured four seriously and hospitalised. All those injured are supporters of the Nationalist Bloc.

July 9, At a meeting of 6,000 Indians, held at the Indian Sports Ground in Johannesburg under the chairmanship of E. I. Asvat, a decision is taken to launch the Passive Resistance Campaign (as decided upon at the earlier meeting of 7 May) on 1 August.

July 19, Mahatma Gandhi sends a telegram to Dr. Yusuf Dadoo suggesting the postponement of the intended Passive Resistance Campaign.

July 23, To show the solidarity of Natal Indians with the intended Passive Resistance Campaign in the Transvaal, a mass meeting is organised mainly by leaders of the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA).

July 29, Recruitment of Indians into the South African Defence Force (SADF) begins under Colonel Morris. 

August 19, The Mixed Marriages Commission, under the Chairmanship of Mr Charles de Villiers, releases its report and recommends that a law be introduced that would make mixed marriages impossible and illicit miscegenation punishable.

August 22, The Indian Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, convenes another meeting of representatives of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) in a fresh attempt to achieve reconciliation between the two factions. 

September 1, Germany invades Poland and the Second World War commences when Britain declares war on Germany on 3 September.

September 4, General J.C. Smuts becomes the new South African Prime Minister after Parliament narrowly approves his motion that South Africa should enter the Second World War on the side of Britain and the Allies.

October, In an attempt to get Black support for the South African war effort, the Union Government downplays segregationist rhetoric, and decides not to proceed with anti-Indian legislation during the Second World War.

October 8, At a public meeting of 2,000 people in Durban, the Indian philosopher and statesman, Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, reconciles the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) members to form the Natal Indian Association (NIA).

November, The executive of the newly formed Natal Indian Association (NIA) decides to cooperate with the envisaged Lawrence Committee, which, in conjunction with the Durban City Council, shall investigate and regulate the acquisition of property in Durban by Indians. 

Olive Schreiner writes The Story of an African Farm

*"The Forum Club, one of several left-wing discussion clubs, including the New Era Fellowship, Left Book Club, Africa Club and Modern Youth Society, flourishes during in the 1940s and 1950s."

1940

Electoral Laws Amendment Act of 1940 is passed

Alexandra Bus Boycotts

Dr. AB Xuma is elected ANC president and begins to reju­venate the organisation; he gives the go-ahead for the forma­tion of the Congress Youth League

Walter Sisulu joins the African National Congress.

The population of Pageview is largely Indian and the area starts developing an Indian character. Mosques, temples and churches are established and the 14th Street shopping Mecca becomes popular.

Prof. Z. K. Matthews joins the African National Congress (ANC).

Cissie Gool becomes the president of the Non-European United Front (NEUF).

The Transvaal African Teachers Association's (TATA) Rand branch launches a teachers' salary campaign.

Hilda Bernstein joins the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) while Josie Palmer becomes a member of the party's Johannesburg Committee.

The Asiatic Land and Trading (Transvaal) Act is passed. It extends the 1939 law for two years but makes some concessions based on the Feetham Commission report, providing some security for the richer Indians.

January, A meeting is held between the Nationalist Bloc, Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) leadership and the Indian Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, to unite the Indian political factions in the Transvaal. However, the meeting ends in failure.

February, The decision of the Natal Indian Association (NIA) executive to cooperate with the Lawrence Committee is ratified by the NIA's general body.

[This decision to cooperate with the Committee is largely thanks to the persuasive influence of the efforts of the Indian Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, who stresses that the Committee will provide an opportunity to discuss Indian housing problems and the need for proper amenities in the predominantly Indian-occupied areas, as well as the need for good alternate residential areas for the Indian middle class.]

February 4, The depleted Natal Indian Congress under the leadership of A.I. Kajee group declares that the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) is still in existence and that the procedures followed during the amalgamation of the NIC with the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) are wrong.

[The depleted NIC strongly opposes the decision of the Natal Indian Association (NIA) to cooperate with the Lawrence Committee, arguing that it constitutes Indian acceptance of voluntary segregation. However, this stance is ironic, since Kajee in 1936 gave a similar assurance to the Natal Municipal Association.]

March 14, The Lawrence Committee holds its inaugural meeting in Durban.

May 15, The Indian Penetration Commission, under the chairmanship of Justice F.N. Broome, is appointed to investigate and report on the extent of Indian residential and trading penetration of predominantly White areas in the Transvaal and Natal since 1 January, 1927.

June, Following a decision taken at a mass meeting of the Natal Indian Association (NIA) on 9 June, the Indian Service Corps is formed to provide transport, medical, hygiene and ambulance services in support of the South African Second World War effort.

June 9, The leadership of the Natal Indian Association (NIA), backed by the Indian Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, declares its support for the Union Government war effort, but demands that there should be full equality between White, Black, Indian and Coloured troops in the armed services and that democratic rights be extended.

July, The Executive Committees of the All African Convention (AAC) and the African National Congress (ANC) meet and pass a resolution regarding World War II. They sympathise with the British Commonwealth and urge the South African government to give full recognition to the Africans participating in the war.

July 29, The recruitment for the Indian Service Corps (mechanical and transport section) begins under Colonel Morris. In a later confidential report, Colonel Morris highly praises the efforts of the Natal Indian Association (NIA), and especially that of A. Christopher, P.R. Pather, S.R. Naidoo and S. Rustomjee, each of whom had spent ten hours daily in assisting the recruiting programme.

September 20, The Indian Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, reluctantly admits that the recruitment drive under Indians in Natal for the South African Indian Service Corps (established to provide transport, medical, hygiene and ambulance services in support of the South African Second World War II effort) has been a failure mainly due to the anti-war activities of the Nationalist Bloc in Natal.

December, The All African Convention convenes with sixty delegates.

Professor Davidson Don Tengo (D.D.T.) Jabavu refuses to give his opinion regarding World War II.

1941

Council for Non-European Trade Unions founded

ANC call for racial unity in a statement made by Dr. A.B. Xuma in Inkululeko.

The African Mine Workers' Union is formed.

The ANC congress resolves to review its position on women membership.

Soon after I.B. Tabata's criticism of the AAC, Dr. Alfred Bitini (A.B.) Xuma, vice president of AAC, in his presidential address states that the African National Congress (ANC) bears part of the blame of the AAC's weakness.

Factories, Machinery and Building Works Act of 1941 is passed

April, The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) is formally constituted in Johannesburg.

July 8, The ANC deputation comprising of Dr A.B. Xuma, President General, Mr. S.P. Matseke and Mr. R.V. Selope Thema, who was later replaced by Mr. E Mofutsanyane because of his inability to join with other members of the deputation, meets with the Minister of Justice. (link to report)

July 26, The ANC in Transvaal issues a flyer Mass Meeting, "Africans Shot in Cold Blood", calling a meeting at Newtown Market Square Johannesburg.

December, I.B. Tabata at the All African Convention (AAC) special session criticises the Natives Representative Council. He calls it the White representatives of Africans in parliament, who plead for Africans in the same way that any White liberal, churchman or Joint Council pleads. Tabata describes the AAC as an organisation without strong leadership.

1942

Thabo Mbeki, exile, ANC Youth League member and future president is born in Mbewuleni, Eastern Cape (Great SA)

Government starts relaxing influx control measures

1943

Women are allowed to become full members of the ANC, and the ANC Women's League is formed.

The NP under Malan makes gains in the election.

The ANC draws up a Bill of Rights based on the Atlantic Charter drafted by Churchill and Roosevelt.

Non-European Unity Movement is formed which is strongly influenced by members of the Workers' Party,

The Trading and Occupation of Land (Transvaal and Natal) Act of 1943 is passed.

The Pegging Act is passed.

1944

The ANC Youth League is formed by young radicals form the ANC Youth League, a shift from the passive resistance tactics that were used in the past

Alexandra Bus Boycotts

Pensions Laws Amendment Act 1944 is passed.

1945

1 June: Native (Urban Areas) Consolidation Act No 25 passed

"African Claims in South Africa" are presented at the ANC's annual conference.

1946

India severs trade relationships with the Union of South Africa, in protest against its discriminatory treatment of people with an Asian origin.

June 6, Asiatic Land Tenure (and Indian Representation/Ghetto Act) Act No 28 passed. Asian trade is restricted to certain defined areas by preventing inter-racial transfers of property. In Durban, a Land Tenure Advisory Board was established to draw up plans for the permanent division of cities into White and Indian sectors.

June 13, Indian Passive resistance campaign led by Y.M. Dadoo and Dr. G.M. Naicker against the Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation Act.

African miners strike from the east to the West Rand, police open fire, kill and injure hundreds of workers.

Mayibuye Centre exhibition takes place at the Center for African Studies at the University of Cape Town. It is entitled "Margins to Mainstream: Lost South African Photographers." It is one of the first exhibitions of resistance photography, and includes the work of Ernest Cole, Bob Gosani, Eli Weinberg, Leon Leveson.

December 18, Steve Biko is born

1947

Industrial Conciliation (Natives) Bill 1947 is passed.

The ANC allies with the Transvaal Indian Congress and the Natal Indian Congress, by signing the Xuma-Naicker-Dadoo pact stating full support for one another's campaigns

1948

May 26, The National Party wins the most seats in the 1948 South African General Election on its policy of racial segregation (later to become known by the afrikaans word apartheid) and comes to power. DF Malan becomes Prime Minister.

October, Dr. A.B. Xuma calls a meeting of African leaders to end the rift between the ANC and the All-African Convention.

October 12, Asiatic Laws Amendment Act No 47 passed

Alan Paton writes "Cry the Beloved Country"

References:

• History of South Africa: including apartheid [online] Available at: southafrica.to [Accessed 25 March 2009]
• Drew, A. (ed) South Africa's Radical Tradition: A documentary history, Volume one 1907 - 1950.
• Christopher A.J. (1994) The Atlas of Apartheid. Routledge Inc: London and Witwatersrand University Press. p. 41
• "Timeline South Africa" Available at: timelines.ws [Accessed 27 February 2009]
• Pampallis, J. (1991). Foundations of the New South Africa, Cape Town: Maskew Miller Longman, p.168.
• http://www.africanhistory.about.com/library/bl/blsalaws.htm
• Dubow, S. & Jevees, A. South Africa's 1940s World of Possibilities. ABC Press: Cape Town. Pp 28-29; 47- 48
• Lewis, G. Between the Wire and the Wall, A history of South African Coloured politics. Citadel Press LTD: Cape Town. P 206.

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