Untitled Document

1939	Datum	Gebeurtenis
	1939	James Calata tours the union in the hope that dormant ANC branches could be revived.
		The Non-European Front is formed.
		Fietas, Johannesburg:The Asiatic Land Tenure and Trading Act is passed. This Act states that Indians may only live where they had lived prior to 30 May 1939, and that they may continue to live where ?coloured? people occupied land before 30 May 1939.
		Fietas, Johannesburg:'Coloured? people start rent boycotts against ?slumlords? in Pageview. They voluntarily moved to the Coronation Township and Albertsville.
		Hertzog and Smuts differed violently on joining the war. Hertzog reunited with Malan in the Nationalist Party returned to power, though with a minority of votes.
		Aliens Registration Act No 26: Provided for the registration and control of aliens. Assent gained: 14 June 1939; commencement date not found. Repealed by s 60 of the Aliens Control Act No 96 of 1991
		Govan Mbeki publishes Transkei in the Making a work of political analysis which is deeply critical of the system of local government in the Transkei.
	March	Dr Yusuf Dadoo forms the Nationalist Bloc in the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC).
	1 March	The Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) calls a meeting called to protest latest anti-Indian measures (including the proposed servitude scheme of the Minister of the Interior, Mr Richard Stuttaford). The meeting is attended by one thousand people - a large number as the total Indian population of Transvaal numbers only about 25,000 at this time. S. M. Nana, the secretary of the TIC, moves a resolution to protest the proposed anti-Asian measures. Dr Yusuf Dadoo moves an amendment to declare a definite policy of Passive Resistance and to set up a Council of Action to devise ways and means to start a passive resistance campaign if the servitude scheme is introduced in Parliament. He also calls for cooperation with other non-white organisations. The amendment receives a large majority, but there is heated dispute as to whether the amendment has been carried. The older group of the TIC opposes vigorous measures of protest in the hope that the Feetham recommendations will be accepted by parliament. Nana offers to resign, but the President, M.E. Valod, declares that no passive resistance Council of Action will be set up.
	April	Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an Indian philosopher and statesman, visits South Africa. The first national conference of the Non-European United Front (NEUF) is held in Cape Town. The national committee of the NEUF includes: Mrs. Zainunnissa (Cissie) Gool, Chairperson Moses Kotane, Secretary R.G. Baloyi, Senior Vice-President W.H. Andrews, Treasurer H.A. Naidoo Yusuf Dadoo The Conference is attended by 125 delegates representing 83 organisations, including trade unions, religious, social, sporting and civic bodies. Officers of the Natal branch of the NEUF, formed subsequent to the Conference, include Cassim Amra, D.A. Seedat and Dr. Goonam.
	7 May	A mass meeting of Indians, organised by the Nationalist Bloc of the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC), is held at Patidar Hall, Johannesburg, under the Chairmanship of E.I. Asvat, and attended by 3,000 people. Dr. Yusuf Dadoo is elected to lead Passive Resistance against what becomes the Asiatic (Transvaal Land and Trading) Act of 1939. The meeting maintains that the Union governments proposal for Indians is linked to an acceptance of segregation and pegging legislation. A Passive Resistance Council of 25 persons is appointed for the campaign.
	4 June	The Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) leadership calls another protest meeting and gangs of thugs appear with lethal weapons. They begin beating members of the Nationalist Bloc. Dr. Yusuf Dadoo escapes narrowly and one of his supporters, Dahyabhai (Dayabhai) Govindji, is disembowelled and dies on 8 June. Nine other persons are injured four seriously and hospitalised. All those injured are supporters of the Nationalist Bloc. The five Indians arrested by the police in connection with this incident are relatives of S. M. Nana and A.I. Kajee. One is an executive member of the TIC. The accused are released on bail, but the Attorney-General withdraws charges against them after the magistrate commits them for trial. The funeral of the victim becomes a major political event, drawing thousands of people. The violence leads to revulsion against the Valod-Nana group in the TIC leadership and Transvaal Indian support swings to Dadoo.
	9 July	At a meeting of 6,000 Indians, held at the Indian Sports Ground in Johannesburg under the chairmanship of E. I. Asvat, a decision is taken to launch the Passive Resistance Campaign (as decided upon at the earlier meeting of 7 May) on 1 August. A Council of Action for the campaign is set up with Dr. Yusuf Dadoo as Chairman. India declares its support for the intended the campaign of Passive Resistance.
	19 July	Mahatma Gandhi sends a telegram to Dr. Yusuf Dadoo suggesting the postponement of the intended Passive Resistance Campaign
	23 July	To show the solidarity of Natal Indians with the intended Passive Resistance Campaign in the Transvaal, a mass meeting is organised mainly by leaders of the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA). However, passive resistance is later postponed following the earlier request of Mahatma Gandhi, who believes that a honourable settlement can be achieved.
	29 July	Recruitment of Indians into the South African Defence Force (SADF) begins under Colonel Morris.
	19 August	The Mixed Marriages Commission, under the Chairmanship of Mr Charles de Villiers, releases its report and recommends that a law be introduced that would make mixed marriages impossible and illicit miscegenation punishable.
	22 August	The Indian Agent-General, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, convenes another meeting of representatives of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and the Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) in a fresh attempt to achieve reconciliation between the two factions.
	1 September	Germany invades Poland and the Second World War commences when Britain declares war on Germany on 3 September.
	4 September	General J.C. Smuts becomes the new South African Prime Minister after Parliament narrowly approves his motion that South Africa should enter the Second World War on the side of Britain and the Allies. In India, the Indian Congress remains opposed to Indian involvement in the war, and links the supporting of Britain in the war to Indias independence. Lord Linlithgow, Viceroy of India, states that dominion status is the goal of constitutional development and that action in this regard is to be taken after the war. In South Africa, South Africas participation in the war also causes division in Indian ranks.
	October	In an attempt to get Black support for the South African war effort, the Union Government tones down segregationist rhetoric and decides not to proceed with anti-Indian legislation during the Second World War. Following an informal understanding between Mr H.G. Lawrence, the new Minister of the Interior, and Sir Benegal Rama Rau, the Indian Agent-General, the Union Government further indicates that an inquiry will be made to establish the extent of Indian penetration of de facto White areas, and that the cooperation of the Indian community was required to ensure that the status quo is maintained and that no new cases of penetration would take place.
	8 October	At a public meeting of 2,000 people in Durban, the Indian philosopher and statesman, Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, reconciles the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and Colonial Born and Settlers Indian Association (CBSIA) members to form the Natal Indian Association (NIA). Hajee A.M.M. Lockhat elected President, and Sorabjee Rustomjee and P.R. Pather secretaries. The name of the new organisation is cleared with Gandhi. The NIA is backed mainly by leaders of the CBSIA and the radicals in the NIC. However, once again this unity proves to be short-lived. A group headed by A.I. Kajee and Swami Bhawani Dayal does not recognise the decision of the NIC to unite with the CBSIA and declines positions in the NIA.
	November	The executive of the newly formed Natal Indian Association (NIA) decides to cooperate with the envisaged Lawrence Committee, which, in conjunction with the Durban City Council, shall investigate and regulate the acquisition of property in Durban by Indians.