occasion of introducing Professor Fatima Meer at the international visit of
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh
1 October 2006
Your Excellency, the honourable President of South Africa, Mr Thabo
Mbeki,
Our distinguished guest, the honourable Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan
Singh,
Honourable Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka,
Honourable Minister in the Presidency, Essop Pahad,
Honourable Minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Pallo Jordan,
Honourable Members of the Executive Council,
Senior members of the delegation,
Senior officials,
Distinguished guests,
It is a wonderful honour to introduce Professor Fatima Meer. It is
especially appropriate to introduce her at a place where her political activism
first began to make its mark. As a high school student Fatima was part of the
Passive Resistance Support Committee (PRSC) in 1946 and it is where this park
stands that the resisters often occupied, after marching from Red Square. The
1946 struggle was a powerful struggle against the cornerstone of urban racist
segregation, the proposed Asiatic Land Tenure and Representation Bill which
came to be called the Ghetto Act. Hundreds of passive resisters courted prison
and displayed incredible courage in the cause of freedom.
It was exactly 60 years ago and one can only wonder, given Fatima's energy
even today, what she must have been like as a high school student. Nobody on
the support committee even had the chance to sleep during the period of the
occupation of the land.
But as we all know Fatima was not a one campaign person. For six decades she
has been a courageous, persistent and consistent fighter for freedom. She has
been a true Gandhian. Not only has she brought to politics the self-sacrifice
as a Gandhian, but she has ensured that the work of Gandhi has become available
to all South Africans.
But Fatima has not been simply an activist. Her work as a sociologist has
seen her reach the very highest standards in an environment where she had to
endure bannings and State harassment.
I got to know the Meer family very well especially when Fatima's husband
Ismail served in the provincial legislature. He was a fount of wisdom in those
early years of democracy and I still miss his presence. They had a beautiful
relationship. They had similar commitments but with completely different
personalities and styles of doing things. Together they were a formidable
team.
This park is an example of Fatima picking up the baton from Ismail. He was
insistent on it becoming a heritage site. Fatima then brought her energy into
the project. Today we are able to stand at this park only because Fatima took
up the cudgels once again to ensure that the 1946 struggle was remembered. She
harangued, cajoled, scolded and charmed as many people as possible to ensure
that this monument was built.
These plaques, these stones, these words, this preservation of history
stands as a living testimony to Fatima's life-time commitment to critical
intellectual thought and courageous activism.
For years Fatima has been in a way our thread to India with her research and
impeccable writing on Mahatma Gandhi. Together with many others she has kept
the beacon alive between South Africa and India.
Today the shores of the Indian Ocean welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
to celebrate the Satyagraha National Commemorations 2006. With this being the
Honourable Prime Minister's first visit to the African continent, the province
of KwaZulu-Natal is proud to be part of this landmark occasion for both South
Africa and the African continent.
The 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha celebrations coincides
with our celebration of one our own struggle leaders called Bambatha. Indeed
the history of the struggle is closely inter-twined and share common roots.
When the African National Congress (ANC) was formed in 1912 it derived its name
from the Indian National Congress (INC).
We are today making a commitment to share our respective creativeness and
knowledge and in doing so improve the quality of the lives of the people we
serve.
Fatima has been one of those at the forefront of the struggles. Among the
host of awards and accolades it is worth mentioning that the Indian government
has honoured her contribution by awarding her the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in
January 2003.
Today I have the honour of introducing, a small woman, who is one of the
giants of the liberation movement, Professor Fatima Meer.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
1 October 2006
