VOLKHURST: Fifteen Indians from Natal cr­o­ssed the Natal-Transvaal border here today [Jan 25] without permits in defiance of the Im­­migrants Regulation Act of 1913, and inaugurated a previously announced Indian pass­ive resistance campaign against the Government.

The policemen watched the crossing but did not interfere. Also watching the crossing were about 30 Indians and 150 Europeans. Dr Y.M. Dadoo, chairman of the Transvaal Indian passive resistance movement welcomed the party. [He] escorted the Natalians across the border without interference and they got into cars waiting on the Transvaal side and proceeded to Johannesburg.

Thousands of Indians attended a meeting here yesterday to welcome the 15 Natalians. Addressing the meeting, Dr Dadoo said that the movement was a landmark in the Indian struggle for equal rights. For the second time in 25 years, Indians were attacking restriction of their movements. “We recall how the great patriot, Mahatma Gandhi, put into practice on South African soil the noble and then untried weapons of passive resistance,” he said. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2023