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By Janine Moodley 
1 hour ago
Durban – Anti-apartheid stalwarts and prominent members of the Indian community in South Africa have spoken out against an initiative they have described as racist, destructive, divisive and dangerous.
The initiative, “Park by the Pozie”, is being organized by the Indian National Congress of South Africa. Little is known about the organization, including the incumbents and the source of funding.
The only person who is publicly associated with the organization is Karou Charou, the alter ego of artist Sagren Madhevan Moodley.
She is formerly from Chatsworth, but now lives in Johannesburg. Moodley has asked South African Indians in Durban to stay home this Saturday to show other South Africans how economically powerful South African Indians are.
This week, former members of the Natal Indian Congress (which was formed by Mahatma Gandhi to combat discrimination against indigenous people in KZN) said in a statement that Moodley’s initiative created divisions.
It was signed by; Alf Karrim, Charm Govender, Derek Naidoo, Devan Pillay, Dilly Naidoo, Ela Gandhi, Eunice David, Jerry Coovadia, Kiru Naidoo, Logie Naidoo, Maggie Govender, Muni Kooblal, Pravin Gordhan, Poonie Pather, Ravi Pillay, Sham Maharaj, Spider Juggath , Sunny Singh, Swaminathan Gounden, Judge Thumba Pillay, Yashica Padia, Yousuf Vawda, Yunus Carrim, and Yusuf Bhamjee.
The statement read: “This is an urgent public alert for the Durban community to beware of a dangerous and racist campaign on social media to alienate the Indian community from and possibly against South African society at large.”
“He irresponsibly incites people to hurt the economy by advocating for a boycott, during December, of businesses based on race.
“The perpetrators of the ‘Karou Charou’ and the ‘South African Indian National Congress’ appear to be nameless, faceless opportunists with no record of service or legitimacy in the community.
“They are blatantly trying to steal the name and proud record of service from the Natal Indian Congress, founded in 1894 by Mahatma Gandhi and others. Although it was initially formed to protect Indian interests, the NIC morphed into a non-governmental organization. racially aligned with the majority of the oppressed people of South Africa.
“At the height of the Passive Resistance and Defiance Campaigns against apartheid in the 1940s and 1950s, the NIC, the Transvaal Indian Congress and the ANC joined forces under the leadership of Dadoo-Naicker-Xuma (the Covenant of Doctors) to unite all communities in fighting apartheid.
“Inspired by the Freedom Charter, this continued into the 1980s and 1990s with the formation of the non-racial United Democratic Front and the Democratic Mass Movement, which eventually brought the apartheid regime to its knees and paved the way for a democratic South Africa. .
“These are hard-won freedoms for all the people of this country, which we must continue to defend, not on the limited basis of race or ethnicity, but as Democrats.
“For the record, the ANC did not dissolve the NIC as suggested by social media, another of the bits of misinformation that opportunists sell.
“Democratic South Africa is not without its problems. Mass unemployment, growing poverty, poor or non-existent services, widespread hunger and rampant corruption have made life unbearable for the vast majority of our people.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has only made this worse. We have to fight all these evils in our society, but as united citizens. Retreating to racially-based groups and resorting to racially-based attacks sinks to the level of the EFF and the right white -groups of wings.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has only made this worse. We have to fight all these evils in our society, but as united citizens. Retreating to racially-based groups and resorting to racially-based attacks sinks to the level of the EFF and the right white -groups of wings.
“Consequently, we condemn the behavior of ‘Karou Charou’ and ‘NICSA’ and ask the community not to be fooled by their dangerous antics, but to stand firm in the defense of our hard-won non-racial democratic gains. “.
Another group issued a statement saying the boycott “was not in our name.” Among them were Omar Badsha, a historian, Professor Brij Maharaj, an academic, Dr. AV Mohamed, president of the Gray Street Mosque, and Solly Suleman, president of the Minara Chamber of Commerce.
According to their statement: “We, the undersigned, distance ourselves from a destructive campaign on social media calling on ‘Durban Charous’ to sabotage our struggling economy and create a racial divide within our South African nation.”
They said the campaign was “irresponsible,” most especially when the world was struggling to cope with the economic consequences caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Anything that smacks of hate speech and incitement should be isolated. Indian South Africans have a long and powerful history in the non-racial struggle for freedom and a proud record of sacrifice and hard work in building our economy.
“Let us remember that already in 1947, our leaders in Doctors Monty Naicker, Yusuf Dadoo and AB Xuma signed a cooperation agreement for non-racial unity and for our country to advance together. African peoples, people of color and Indians marched alongside the freedom. loving white people by challenging apartheid. Now we must not allow anyone to divide us. “
He said that the peace, democracy and economic stability enjoyed today are due to that hard work over decades.
“The shady people behind the wrong campaign have no presence or legitimacy in our community. Our collective future lies in working for a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. Let us work to unite our people and grow our economy. Let us unite. to support those who still have jobs and companies struggling to cope with the Covid-19 environment. “
Moodley was asked to comment, but he declined. Instead, he turned to social media to defend the initiative.
The charge
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