Durban Riots: The Times Report

The racial legislation of the South African government impacted upon ethnic Indians as well as ethnic Africans. In March 1947 the leadership of the Indian and African communities signed a pact that made a demand for the full franchise and the removal of all discriminatory and oppressive legislation. But before such inter-racial cooperation could be consolidated, riots broke out between Africans and Indians in Durban in January 1949. There is now little doubt that the authorities encouraged, aided, and abetted the carnage. Having stood aside at the outbreak, when prompt action could have averted the riots, the army and police later opened fire indiscriminately and killed many Africans. The response of the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Indian Congress (SAIC) was to issue a joint statement in which they emphasized that 'the fundamental and basic causes of the disturbances are traceable to the political, economic, and social structure of this country'. However, as this article from The Times of January 17, 1949, demonstrates, the riots appeared to justify the white-minority government’s policy of apartheid and racial segregation that it had introduced after the 1948 elections. Some of the language used in the piece is considered derogatory today.