Untitled Document

1938	Datum	Gebeurtenis
	1938	Sarah Carneson works for National Union of Distributive Workers and is secretary of the Tobacco workers? Union
		Cissie Gool represents District Six on the Cape Town City Council. She is the only woman Councillor for many years and the first coloured woman to sit on the council. She serves on the council until 1951
		Phyllis, ten years old, accompanies her father to an Institute of Race Relations Conference where she is deeply disturbed at a reference to an African man as boy.
		Albert Luthuli visits India as one of several delegates to the International Missionary Conference in Tambaram, Madras, India.
		Govan Mbeki receives a telegram about a job offer from the Clakesburg Institute, a Teacher Training College in Transkei.
	February	The Indian Agent-General in South Africa, Sir Syed Raza Ali, returns to India. The new Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, arrives in May. The Commission on Mixed Marriages, under the chairmanship of Mr Charles de Villiers, is appointed to investigate the issue of mixed marriages. In its report, the Commission later found no justification for legislation to prevent the White or Cape Malay wives of Asiatics from owning property, but recommended legislation prohibiting marriages between Whites and Blacks.
	3 February	The Transvaal Asiatic Land Laws Commission is appointed to report on the evasions of Asiatics of restrictive measures concerning the use, occupation and ownership of land. At a conference called by the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC), a proposal "to offer cooperation" to the Transvaal Asiatic Land Laws Commission is defeated by 56 votes to 44 due to opposition by Dr. Yusuf Dadoo and others.
	April	The Coloured National Liberation League convenes a conference in Cape Town. At the conference, African, Coloured and Indian delegates representing 45 organisations decide to form to form the Non-European United Front (NEUF). Cissie Gool is elected President. Subsequently, a branch of the NEUF is formed in the Transvaal with Ebrahim Asvat as President, Dr. Yusuf Dadoo as secretary and includes J.B. Marks and others.
	18 April	The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) meet to hammer out an agreement on reconciliation.
	30 April	The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) both hold special meetings to discuss a merger of the two organisations.
	May	Sir Benegal Rama Rau, the new Indian Agent-General, arrives in South Africa. He would remain in office until April 1941. He immediately begins work to bring the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) together in Natal.
	1 May	Swami Bhawani Dayal is elected President of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) - the first Hindu to be elected as NIC President since the formation of NIC in 1894.
	4 May	Anti-Indian Legislation: The Asiatics (Transvaal Land and Trading) Bill The Union Government introduces the Asiatics (Transvaal Land and Trading) Bill , which provides protection of Indians in exempted areas for two years; certificates for trading licences to be authorized by Minister of Interior; Asiatics not allowed to appoint nominees to buy land and obtain trading licences on their behalf.
		The Union Government introduces the Asiatic (Transvaal Land and Trading) Bill, which provides for the protection of Indians in exempted areas for two years and for certificates for trading licences to be authorised by the Minister of Interior. Asiatics are not allowed to appoint nominees to buy land and obtain trading licences on their behalf. The Bill elicits protests from India, but eventually becomes law as the Asiatics (Transvaal Land and Trading) Act, Act No. 28 of 1939.
	June	The Minister of the Interior, Mr Stattaford, announces the Servitude Scheme after meeting with a deputation from the conference of the Pretoria Ratepayers Associations. He informs the deputation that the would propose to the Government that legislation be introduced providing that, in cases where sixty per cent or more of the owners of property desired it, servitudes in respect of such properties be registered free of charge to prohibit the sale to, or hire of such properties by, Indians (Muthal, Tyranny of Colour: 232).
	15 November	Ronald Kastrils is born in Yeoville, Johannesburg.
	December	The unity of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) is short-lived. A.I. Kajee and Swami Bhawani Dayal re-establish the NIC.
	9-10 December	The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) Conference passes resolutions regarding penetration, industrial legislation, education, social welfare and trade. Government attitudes and actions are severely criticised.