Monty Naicker
Encyclopedia
Gagathura Mohambry Naicker (30 September 1910- 12 January 1978) was a medical doctor and a South African anti-apartheid activist of Indian Tamil
descent.
, exporting banana
s.
He studied in Durban
at Marine College and then at the age of 17 went to Britain to finish high school
, and he then studied medicine
at Edinburgh University.
(SAIC) and the Natal Indian Congress
. In 1946 he and Yusuf Doddoo led passive resistance campaigns among Indian South Africans to protest the Asiatic Land Tenure and the Indian Representation Act. Along with Yusuf Dadoo
of the Transvaal Indian Congress he visited India
where he received support for the endeavours of the South African Indians from Mahatma Gandhi
and other Indian leaders in 1947.
Naicker was an early advocated for a multi-racial united front against apartheid. He worked to develop an alliance with the African National Congress
(ANC) in 1947, known as the Dadoo-Naicker-Xuma Pact, or the Three Doctors' Pact.
Naicker was imprisoned numerous times for anti-apartheid activism. In 1948 he and Yusuf Dadoo were sentenced to six months hard labour under the Immigrant Regulation Act. He was jailed for a month after participating the Defiance campaign
of 1952. During the 1950s Naicker was president of the SAIC for at least two terms, despite being forbidden to attend gatherings by the Apartheid government in 1953. Naicker was one of the accused in the Treason Trial
of 1956-1961 but the charges against him and several other co-defendants were dropped in 1958. Between 1956 and 1973 he was regularly banned, which limited his political activities.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
descent.
Early Life
His father was a traderMerchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, exporting banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s.
He studied in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
at Marine College and then at the age of 17 went to Britain to finish high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, and he then studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at Edinburgh University.
Anti-Apartheid Activism
Naicker was a leading member of South African Indian CongressSouth African Indian Congress
The South African Indian Congress was an organization founded in 1924 in Natal , South Africa. The congress is famous for its strong participation by Mahatma Gandhi and other prominent South African Indian figures during the time. Umar Hajee Ahmed Jhaveri was elected the first president of the...
(SAIC) and the Natal Indian Congress
Natal Indian Congress
The Natal Indian Congress was an organization that aimed to fight discrimination against Indians in South Africa. The Natal Indian Congress was started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, later known as the Mahatma...
. In 1946 he and Yusuf Doddoo led passive resistance campaigns among Indian South Africans to protest the Asiatic Land Tenure and the Indian Representation Act. Along with Yusuf Dadoo
Yusuf Dadoo
Yusuf Mohamed Dadoo was a Muslim Indian South African communist and anti-apartheid activist. In his life he was chair of both the South African Indian Congress and the South African Communist Party, as well as being a major proponent of cooperation between those organisations and the African...
of the Transvaal Indian Congress he visited India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where he received support for the endeavours of the South African Indians from Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and other Indian leaders in 1947.
Naicker was an early advocated for a multi-racial united front against apartheid. He worked to develop an alliance with the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC) in 1947, known as the Dadoo-Naicker-Xuma Pact, or the Three Doctors' Pact.
Naicker was imprisoned numerous times for anti-apartheid activism. In 1948 he and Yusuf Dadoo were sentenced to six months hard labour under the Immigrant Regulation Act. He was jailed for a month after participating the Defiance campaign
Defiance Campaign
The Defiance Campaign against Unjust Laws was presented by the African National Congress at a conference held in Bloemfontein, South Africa in December 1951....
of 1952. During the 1950s Naicker was president of the SAIC for at least two terms, despite being forbidden to attend gatherings by the Apartheid government in 1953. Naicker was one of the accused in the Treason Trial
Treason Trial
The Treason Trial was a trial in which 156 people, including Nelson Mandela, were arrested in a raid and accused of treason in South Africa in 1956....
of 1956-1961 but the charges against him and several other co-defendants were dropped in 1958. Between 1956 and 1973 he was regularly banned, which limited his political activities.
External links
- ANC biography
- Don't support apartheid sport: Appeal by Chief A. J. Lutuli and Dr. G. M. Naicker 1962