Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa

Mahatma Gandhi’s time in South Africa was a very transformative, both for him and for the local Indian community. We are listing top-10 points regarding Gandhiji in South Africa

1. Train Incident: Despite Gandhiji have a ticket, He was thrown out of a train while going to South Africa in First Class Train in Pietermaritzburg because of his race.
2. Natal Indian Congress: He founded the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 to fight discrimination against Indians and South Africans.
3. Recruitment from India: In 1896, Gandhi returned to India to recruit 800 Indians to join him in South Africa, where they faced an angry mob upon arrival.
4. Indian Ambulance Corps: At the time of Boer war in 1899, he started the Indian Ambulance Corps, comprising around 1,100 Indians, to assist the British.
5. Phoenix Farm: In 1904, Gandhiji started founded Phoenix Farm. It is a place for community living in Durban. He purchased 100 acres of land in 1904.
6. First Satyagraha Campaign: In 1906, he started the first Satyagraha campaign in response to the Transvaal Asiatic ordinance.
7. Black Act Protest: He held Satyagraha against the Black Act in June 1907.
8. Imprisonment and Release: Gandhi was jailed in 1908 for his non-violent protests but was released after negotiating with General Smuts. He was later attacked and imprisoned again, leading to more Satyagraha campaigns.
9. Tolstoy Farm: In 1910, Tolstoy farm was established. At Tolstoy Farm, Satyagraha was developed into a method of protest.
10. Advocacy for Unity: Gandhi worked tirelessly to unite the Indian community in South Africa to stand against racial discrimination.

These actions not only helped improve the lives of many in South Africa but also laid the groundwork for the non-violent resistance movement that he would later lead in India.