SOUTH AFRICA: Thousands walk in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, also marking the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first indentured Indians

Record ID: 454999

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Thousands walk in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, also marking the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first indentured Indians
  • Date: 29th March 2010
  • Summary: PARTICIPANTS CHEERING / PLAYING DRUM, SINGING AND CLAPPING
  • Embargoed: 13th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAWU1402YCG13M62IUA51S0N4H
  • Story Text: Nearly 6,000 people in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Sunday (March 28) participated in the 25th annual Gandhi walk in memory of the venerated Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi.
    The occasion also marked the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first indentured Indian workers in South Africa in 1860.
    South Africa now has over one million people of Indian or Asian origin and the walk was divided into one seven-kilometre leg and a longer, more challenging 15-kilometre leg.
    Organisers said the walk was inspired by Gandhi's teachings and carried a "health and unity" theme.
    "The significance is unity at large not only unity among the small communities but unity from everybody. Our main motto is for the walk to be multi-religious, multi-national and open to all corners of people, any people, all the people," said Mahendra Modi, public relations officer for the walk.
    South Africa's Health Minister also joined participants, encouraging South Africans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise.
    "As you know Mahatma Gandhi is a very, very important figure and well-known figure in South Africa's history for liberation, that's one thing but also as the Minister of Health we want to promote this issue of a healthy lifestyle and you know fiscal activity and walking is one of those things that we are keenly looking at, so I'm supporting it for those two good reasons," said Motsoaledi.
    Gandhi pioneered non-violent resistance to British rule in India and spent some of his early political years in South Africa, where he was involved in the struggle against racial discrimination and oppression.
    Many who took part in the walk said the did so in memory of Gandhi and his work in South Africa.
    "It's a very magnificent feeling, you walk knowing the spirits are walking with you," said participant Thabo Masemola.
    "It's for a good cause and it keeps the spirit of Gandhi alive," added Brenda Wakfer, another walker.
    Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 in New Delhi by a Hindu radical.
    His decades-long non-violent movement inspired leaders like Nelson Mandela who led the movement against apartheid in South Africa.
    U.S. civil rights leader Martin Luther King also looked up to Gandhi as his role model.
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