‘CO-OPERATION…CONSULTATION AND CONSENT’: THE FAILURE OF VOLUNTARY RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION IN DURBAN (1920–1945)

ABSTRACT

The geographical literature on South Africa's urban history has focused on forced segregation. In contrast, this paper focuses on attempts at voluntary segregation by Indians in Durban in the 1940s, an aspect, which has been neglected in the published literature. Restrictions on Indian acquisition and occupation of land dates back almost since their arrival in South Africa. Indians were perceived to be an economic threat to the whites in Durban and were subjected to racial prejudices, which were transformed into policies that limited their access to land and housing, as well as trading opportunities. The racist discourse and anti-Indian sentiment consolidated a political alliance between the local state councillors and bureaucrats, and the white electorate in Durban. The central state was reluctant to introduce statutory residential segregation because of international repercussions. As far as was possible it preferred voluntary residential separation. This paper will demonstrate that the central state attempted to facilitate this via the Lawrence Committee and the Pretoria Agreement, as well as support for the Kajee Assurance. Indian political organisations adopted accommodationist strategies of negotiating with the state and accepting the principle of voluntary seregation to protect their commercial, residential and investment interests.