DIPLOMATIC DEMARCHE IN NEW DELHI: BJP senior leader Dr Vijay Jolly presented a strongly-worded letter to SA’s High Commissioner to India Sibusiso Ndebele – captured in his diplomatic office in New Delhi – on last week’s unrest in the giant Indian-zoned township of Phoenix, where looters attempted to break through into the inner-city suburbs
Durban Indians have welcomed the special interest and empathy shown by organisations in India and the United States of America relating to the horrific outbreak of the violent unrest, looting, arson and anarchy and attack on communities that brought the city and KwaZulu-Natal to a complete standstill last week.
A senior leader in India’s governing party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has called on the South African mission in New Delhi and delivered a diplomatic demarche to SA High Commissioner Sibusiso Joel Ndebele, a former ANC leader, premier and national transport minister. While in the USA, Sunny Kulathakall, president of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (Gopio International) has dispatched a letter to India’s ministry of external affairs to express its concern about the plight of Indians and other race groups here. In Kharwastan, neighbouring unrest-hit Chatsworth, former activist Mr Singh and coordinator of Friday’s prelaunch of Gopio Durban chapter, said overseas support from Gopio International and political parties and TV commentators in India was “most welcome”. “We certainly welcome and appreciate external support and solidarity that encourages local Indians and South Africans to bridge the inter-racial chasm towards redoubling our efforts for racial harmony and non-racialism and non-violent democracy. We must guard against labelling incidents as racial or racist because there were minimal damages to Indian-owned and foreign-Indian businesses and properties apart from the random attacks in Phoenix,” Singh said.
Gopio International vice-president Ishwar Ramlutchman, also a member of the Zulu Royal Household as Mabheka Zulu, has appealed to Indians and other race groups to remain calm and not agitate any racial tensions in the face of the onslaught of the looters and rioters, “We must all be united in our fight against this new scourge of terrorism unleashed by our own people, and despite the high levels of poverty and joblessness during the Covid-19 pandemic there is no justification to resort to looting, rioting, burning down business premises and threatening violence against other race groups. This nonsense must stop. We must begin rebuilding a non-racial, united country from the ashes of this monumental uprising.” Ramlutchman also welcomed the statement by the Zulu Royal Household that reminded the province that the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekazulu – who succumbed to Covid-19 – enjoyed a good relationship with KZN’s Indian community and its leaders and organisations. “If His Majesty was alive today, he would have averted the chaos and crisis that has unmasked the ugly side of our communities within days of the first outbreak of the unrest. He has intervened during his long reign and was committed totally to Indian-Zulu-African harmony and cooperation,” Ramlutchman added.
As the looting and rioting continues in Durban and across KwaZulu-Natal, with 25 confirmed deaths in the Indian-zoned townships of Phoenix and unconfirmed deaths in Chatsworth, where residents have armed themselves, set up barricades and assisting each other with essential foodstuff, politicians and non-government organisations in India and the USA had reached out to South Africans to express support and solidarity. Sunny Kulathakall, president of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (Gopio International), an influential lobby representing over 25-million expatriate Indians in 50 countries with influential ties to the Indian, American and British governments, has telephoned local chapter officials to inquire about the worsening looting and rioting and the targeting of Indians in Durban.
“Gopio International is extremely concerned about the crisis in the country and are likewise worried about the safety and welfare of the Indian community and other vulnerable racial groups. We are contacting the Indian government in New Delhi to raise this racial issue with the presidency of South Africa,” Kulathakall told The Phoenix Tabloid from St Louis, USA, where he is visiting en route to preparations for the opening of the first international office in Chicago on 15 August 2022. He said there were plans to send a high-profile delegation to South Africa in coming weeks, pending the Covid-19 travel protocols.
In New Delhi, senior BJP leader Dr Vijay Jolly held an urgent meeting with SA High Commissioner Ndebele in diplomatic capital’s Vasant Marg district, and hand-delivered his letter of protest. The two then posed for a photograph that went viral on social media. “Indians have contributed for the peace and progression of South Africa and India and South Africa share goodwill relations (with India)for decades. But recent reports of racial abuse, threats of violence, rape and massacre against Indians living in SA are disturbing and reprehensive. Indian bashing on social media platforms is inciting violence against Indians … some justifying raping Indian women because Indians are are evil, horrible and anti-feminist,” Dr Jolly wrote.
“The SA unrest after the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma is your internal issue, but violence against Indians who fought against apartheid is abhorred. Targeting peaceful Indians, attacking their residential communities and businesses is inhuman. So we demand State protection to life, property and dignity of all Indians. Social media should refrain from sharing unverified, inaccurate and false images of the past, so avoid panic and fear among the majority of of your country’s citizens who believe in peace and harmony,” further stated Dr Jolly. As tensions rose in Phoenix, north of Durban, Police Minister Bheki Cele- on his third visit in three days – denounced that the killing of looters and violent confrontations between the neighbouring communities was racially motivated. The minister said detectives were investigating the killings and arrests were expected soon.
