Politically astute and a master organiser, but humble enough to learn from those younger than him

Dr Pingla Udit (left) with mentor Pravin Gordhan (centre) and Karuna Mohan. (Photo: Supplied)

13 Sep 2024

Following the revival of the Natal Indian Congress in 1971, we met Pravin Gordhan when he initiated an activist forum in Durban. Our collective memories are of a fierce, resilient, yet patient and caring mentor.

He shared his intellectual thinking, his organisational abilities, and his political astuteness with many of us, with a dedication to bringing about change in the country. He was humble enough to admit that people younger than him had more innovative ideas, and was quick to adopt them.

Dr Pingla Udit (left) with mentor Pravin Gordhan (centre) and Karuna Mohan. (Photo: Supplied)

Without his leadership, the mass democratic movement in Natal, and in particular in the Indian group areas, would not have emerged. Pravin Gordhan trained thousands of young activists across the racial spectrum to organise people living in working-class areas in Phoenix, Chatsworth, Northdale and other areas to take up bread-and-butter issues. It was his genius that devised campaigns against the rent struggles and linked the common fates of Indians and Africans, who had the same problems. If it was not for his leadership, the revival of civic organisations and civic leadership would not have happened.

It was this work that led to community-based organisations being part of the United Democratic Front.

Bedrock of alliances

His political astuteness is evidenced in the bedrock of alliances built in many of the organisations that participated in the United Democratic Front. Without the guidance of Pravin and other leaders and their skilful leadership, young activists would have been lost.

Part of our mentoring was a logical and scientific approach to organising, mobilising and conscientising the people to unite and build an ethical base of democracy. We learnt about constructive criticism and found that Pravin had broad shoulders and was able to take criticism from the group of activists.

He had a keen eye for recruiting disciplined, motivated and strong cadres into the armed Struggle.

As a senior activist he was always there for people who were detained and harassed by the security apparatus. Despite being under house arrest he arranged for sympathetic doctors to treat detainees.

He had the patience of Job in every debate to win people over to his way of thinking, and approached all matters intellectually.

Champion

After the 1984 tricameral elections, more than 2,000 activists hailed him as the champion of the successful anti-tricameral campaign. At that point, his humility came through when he declared that this would not have been possible without the hard work of the activists.

Pravin Gordhan was one of the creators of the research infrastructure that shaped the politics in KwaZulu-Natal. When violence broke out this machinery was able to run advice offices and begin negotiations on peace.

When 1994 arrived, he emerged as a representative of the Natal Indian Congress and the Indian community who was respected by conservatives and progressive communities alike. He represented the Natal Indian Congress at Codesa. His brilliance in managing decision-making was revealed to the country when he coined the term “sufficient consensus”.

We pay tribute to a dearly departed comrade, from student politics to becoming a minister who gave his life selflessly to liberate South Africa.

Together with the family and all other activists we mourn the loss of a great hero who paid the price for standing for the truth. DM

Karuna Mohan and Pingla Udit were Natal Indian Congress and United Democratic Front activists.

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Bedrock of alliances

Champion