80th Anniversary of the 1946 Passive Resistance Campaign
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Passive Resistance Campaign, a landmark protest against racial injustice led by the Natal Indian Congress. Dr Kreesen Naicker, the son of Dr Monty Naicker, reflects on the inspiring legacy of his dad and the enduring fight for equality in South Africa, as we remember the courage of those who resisted oppression.
In 1946, the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) launched a passive resistance campaign in South Africa as a protest against the Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation Act, which prohibited local Indians from purchasing land from non-Indians and excluded them from certain areas. The campaign was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's influence and aimed to challenge racial injustice.
Dr. Kreesen Naicker, son of Dr. Monty Naicker, reflects on his father's legacy and the ongoing fight for equality in South Africa. The campaign began with a mass meeting of over 15,000 people at Red Square (now Nichols Square) in Durban, followed by a march to a vacant land site at the intersection of Gale Street and Umbilo Road.
20 Indian men, led by Dr. GM Naicker, pitched five tents and remained there despite arrest, with another 20 replacing them. The NIC organized a day of prayer and asked Indians not to go to work or conduct business. In June, the first batch of resisters, including 17 women, pitched their tents and were arrested and sentenced to hard labor.
The campaign's slogan, "To Hell with the Ghetto Act," foreshadowed the Group Areas Act of 1950, which restricted Indian ownership and led to forced removals.
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