As they say stronger women build stronger nations. It is true that since the very ancient times, they have been playing crucial roles in various spheres of life. They are the nation’s true builders. They establish the institution of family, build homes, bring up children and make them citizens. good “Nation is based on the undying patriotism commanded of women as mothers and sisters” Cynthia Enloe notes in her work ‘The Curious Feminist’. For women of India and elsewhere, freedom struggle emerged as a place where within struggle culturally the against oppressive British rule, they could create their independent identity. Freedom struggle was never a unilateral effort by any political party or male leaders.
However, the narratives on women’s contributions to the freedom struggle and nation-building narratives in India have historically been overshadowed by topics like the celebratory history of the Congress Party, other political parties, figures or like political Nehru, Subhash, and Gandhi, who had a significant impact on India’s attaining independence. Similar to this African historiography has also placed enough emphasis on the African National Congress and contributions to South Africa’s democratic transition and fails to take a more gendered perspective. Even the apartheid discourses are overwhelmingly centred on men, focussing on their struggles, exiles and accomplishments.
Due to this the contributions of various Indian and women African throughout history remain unexplored and on the fringe. There were Indian women like Kasturba Gandhi, Jagrani Devi Bhawani, Dayal its Bai Fatima, Sheikh Mehta, Valiamma Munuswami Mudliar, and Veerammal Naidoo who had made a joint effort to fight for racial equality and against racism in South Africa. However, over the past decade, there has been a lot of research and analysis done on the role of women in different spheres of life.
The motto of studying women who made remarkable impacts on the history of the nation highlights the various psychological and physical hardships women faced during the battle. It also focussed on the contribution of some Indian and African women in the public sphere and the decision making process. As Steve Biko had said “Women must be at the forefront of nation-building to bring South African citizenry together and therefore, develop a whole new ethos of human existence”.
Indeed, Africa witnessed some remarkable women who took conspicuous leadership positions in the freedom struggle against apartheid. One such hero is Maniben Sita. Maniben Sita was an Indian-origin South African who dedicated her whole life to the nation’s struggle. Very little is known about Maniben Sita. She was born on December 24, 1926, in Transvaal (now Gauteng), Asiatic Bazaar (Marabastad, Pretoria). Her family was very politically active both in native India and South Africa. Her father, Nana Sita, was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. As her father learned so much from Gandhiji and it ultimately helped them, she frequently thought of him as their adopted grandfather. Nana Sita then joined the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) in 1928. He was also an executive member of the Pretoria branch. He stood uncompressing against the oppressive and unfair laws, which made him famous across South Africa. He had come to Pretoria, as a young lawyer to fight a case for a local Indian merchant. Soon, he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha struggle in South Africa.
Even after Gandhi left, Nana Sita continued to be part of the resistance for a long period. Everyone in her family including all her siblings joined in the fight for democracy and justice throughout South Africa. Maniben, though very young was also greatly influenced by Gandhi’s teachings on ahimsa, peace and Satyagraha. She got engaged in politics at the time when India was under British dominion, figuring out the mode of freedom struggle to be taken. Some young radicals were supporting Indian political leaders having a more proactive stance but some more conservative senior members supported a quieter resistance through the exchange of dialogues with British counterparts. At the Transvaal Indian Congress too, there was rising tension between the two factions. The meetings at TIC were becoming more and more violent. Maniben, at the tender age of thirteen, was introduced to these complexities through the political lenses of her father, who would narrate to her the terrible instances that were happening at the congress. She was then made aware of the challenges being faced by Indian communities. And this is how her political activism sparked. She completed her studies at the Indian High School. She completed her matric at a college in Silverton, Pretoria. On passing matric, she enrolled for a BA degree with the University of South Africa (UNISA) and later on qualified as a teacher, and began her active political career in her trademark orange Saree. She had a great command of the English language and was very articulate in her thoughts and speeches. In the 1946 campaign of passive resistance against the Ghetto Acts, she travelled to Asiatic Bazar every day. She would organise groups of women called Local Women Activists group, to go to the prisons.
She had to motivate these women by narrating the brave stories of women of early uprisings and how it is a matter of joy when something is done for the nation. There were only ten women when the struggle began, but the number multiplied very quickly. She also helped in the formation of the Indian women’s support league and helped to raise awareness and funds for TIC. Maniben devoted her entire life to fight against apartheid, in all its forms. During which she was jailed many times. In 1952, she was arrested for three months jail sentence for occupying bench at railway station, which was reserved only for whites. Sita also joined fellow South African activist Dr Zainab Asvat in a march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The march was against the Group Areas Act. It led to the establishment of the Indian National Council (later named as South African Indian Council- SAIC); an advisory committee appointed by the South African Government. Sita continued her movement against the Group Areas act, even after the death of her father Nana Sita, in 1969. She defied the act by remaining in the house situated at Van der Hoff Street, which was part of the White suburbs in Pretoria. However, in 1976, they were threatened by the government with the expropriation of their property, so they reluctantly decided to move to another are South west of central Pretoria called Laudium, a newly built Indian township (classified during the apartheid regime). She joined in solidarity with the 1980 school boycotts started by students of Laudium High school and Himalaya Secondary school. In 1982, elections were held in South Africa.
There was a rising demand for reviving the South African Indian Council (SAIC), for which TIC was revived again and Sita was made its executive member. TIC along with United Democratic Front (UDF) called for boycotting the elections. They believed that this was a strategy by the Apartheid government to give coloured and Indian South Africans a false sense of power by participating in a parliamentary system. When in reality, all they wanted was to isolate these groups from the black population. Sita too actively, took part in campaign boycotting elections in Transvaal and Natal provinces. She kept reminding people that these elections were not democratic. During the day of the election, she along with Dr Muthal Naidoo, a South African playwright of Indian descent, sat outside the polling booth all dressed in black. Driving her bakkie, Sita in number of meetings, events, protests in fight against apartheid. She spoke courageously at the public gatherings. In 1985, Sita was to represent TIC at the funeral of UDF activist Cradock Four, who had been brutally murdered by the apartheid authorities. She took a rented bus for travelling. The bus was halted and all the passengers were arrested and sent to Diepkloof Prison (also called Sun city), Transvaal. Sita was imprisoned for 87 days in isolation.
Sita in an interview said, that the hardest part of the prison life was to get locked up at four in the evening till seven in the morning, with nothing to do, but it did not let her determination to fight against the apartheid die down. In another even where she receiver Mahatma Gandhi Satyagraha Award in 2011 she narrated another prison incident. When asked by a senior police official despite not knowing activist Cradock four, why she attended the funeral, leading to her arrest. She said that what united these activists and her was the motto behind the struggle. They all wanted to ensure human dignity for all in the country of their birth. She also said bravely that the once powerful British empire could no longer challenge them with their guns. She declared that until they get what they want, they will continue to follow what their leader Gandhi taught them. She kept actively taking part in fight against anti-apartheid. She also supported the movement calling for the unbanning of the African National Congress and the freedom of Nelson Mandela.
In 1994, when South Africa gained independence elections were held nationally and locally. Maniben was elected in Centurion Town Council, representing her ward in Laudium, serving a five-year term and preferring not to be re-elected. Sita was incredibly upset by the growing corruption in the newly independent administration. She pleaded for moral leadership as well as honourable elected officials and public servants to be at the forefront. Sita continuously stood for the oppressed and marginalised communities in South Africa. Even at the age of 91, she took part in a forty-day hunger strike at the Union buildings for Palestinian prisoners. In honour of Mandela’s ninetieth birthday in 2008, Maniben sent a handmade cushion to the Nelson Mandela foundation along with a note expressing her hope that Mandela would be touched by its contents. Upon closer inspection, the cushion revealed her 1963 notebook, extra entries from 1962, a copy of booklet I Accuse! which contained transcripts of Mandela’s courtroom speeches. Maniben had hidden these documents under the cushion cover so that they would not be taken away during the raids by colonial police at her family’s home. Today, a duplicate of her diary is on display at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Maniben was awarded the Valliamma Muliar Women Award in 2013, for her exceptional contributions to society.
She actively voiced her opinion that women today, have more opportunities to take action against evils in society and that they should voice it more vigorously. She was also awarded the Ahmed Kathrada Award of Excellence for her lifelong leadership in 2018, by the Congress of Business and Economics. She died on 7th July 2021 after suffering from Covid-19 at the age of ninety-four. Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj, visited Maniben personally at her house. She was amazed to see the simple, uncomplicated and independent life of Maniben. At the age of 91, she still had all the recollections of her father’s freedom struggle memories. She often said that her life was very simple as she followed the principles of her father, who in turn followed the teachings of Gandhiji. She said, “You can never lose hope because the majority of the people are good people, and because they are good, we still have a hope that South Africa will go forward.” She lived a straightforward, self-reliant, and very simple life. She respected each person equally.
She lived a traditional Hindu life and followed celibacy. She cooked for herself and avoided being a burden on anyone. As a proponent of non-violence, she also adopted a strict vegetarian diet and lifestyle, and she wrote a cookbook titled “Give Me Vegetables”. She was constantly willing to mentor, educate, and talk to community people about human rights, equality, and dignity. In her distinctive orange sari, she was easy to identify. She never called herself a politician. Though her activism strongly believed in equality regardless of race, creed, class or religion. She showed sympathy for all species existing. She said, “Democracy is wonderful to have because the dignity of every human being is respected but what casts a shadow on our democracy is the corruption going on everywhere and also the violence.” She was passionate about encouraging young girls to seize the opportunities presented to them. She acted as a moral compass, a rock of power, and a lighthouse. She will be remembered for her lifelong dedication to the causes of freedom, anti apartheid and justice. She was a fearless public speaker, principled in her opposition and unwavering in her commitments. Uncompromising, courageous Sita will be long remembered for standing up for freedom and justice in South Africa and the entire world.
References:
High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj pays a courtesy visit to Maniben Sita. (2017, September 26). Retrieved from High Commission of India, Pretoria, South Africa: https://www.hcipretoria.gov.in/news_detail/?newsid=86
A tribute to Maniben Sita – a courageous and indomitable fighter. [online]. (2021). Retrieved from Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) : https://www.kathradafoundation.org/2021/07/12/a-tribute-to-maniben-sita-a-courageous-and-indomitable-fighter/
Hiralal, K. (2014). Married to the Struggle: For better or worse Wives of Indian anti-apartheid activists in Natal: The untold narratives. Retrieved from North West University: https://repository.nwu.ac.za/handle/10394/12852
Hiralal, K. (2022). ‘Sisters in the Struggle’. Routledge. Hiralal, K. (n.d.). CASTE IN THE DIASPORA: A CASE STUDY OF THE NATAL RAJPUT ASSOCIATION IN DURBAN. MAN IN INDIA, pp. 591-606.
India, P. T. (2021, July 7). Indian-Origin South African Activist Maniben Sita Dies Due To COVID-19 Complications. Retrieved from NDTV: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/veteran-indian-origin-south-african-anti-apartheid-activist-maniben-sita-dies due-to-covid-19-related-complications-2481481
Indian-origin anti-apartheid activist Maniben Sita dies in South Africa. (2021, july 7). Retrieved from The Tribune: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/indianorigin-anti-apartheid-activist-maniben-sita-dies-in-south-africa-279646 Maniben Sita. (n.d.). Retrieved from South African History Online: https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/maniben-sita
Naidoo, M. (March 10, 2017). Maniben Sita: South Africa’s Anti-apartheid Heroine.
Sarang, S. (2021, July 7). Who Was Maniben Sita? Indian-Origin South African Activist Passed Away Due To COVID-19. Retrieved from She the people: https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/who-was-maniben-sita-indian-origin-south-african-activist-passed-away-due-to-covid-19/
Sita, M. (2021, Aug 8). Sadhana tribute to SA activist Maniben Sita. (S. -T. Path, Interviewer)
Leave a Reply