caught in the crossfire of political violence between anti-apartheid forces and the Tribal Zulu Inkatha ‘organization.
About two weeks ago 18 Africans were killed in the Cotton lands area near Verulam town in an attack on the home of Inkatha leader.
In the resulting flare up, one Indian house was burnt by a group of about 100 people. This has caused a number of families to flee and that some people want to force the Indian families to move out of the rural area.
Indian leaders have expressed the fear that a situation similar to what took place at the Gandhi Phoenix settlement in August 1985 could occur at Cotton-lands. During the 1985 unrest Indian families were forced to flee their homes after a mob attacked and set their houses alight.
It was reported after the 1985 unrest that the Pretoria government was planning to incorporate the Phoenix area into Kwazulu Bantustan but the Indian family’s refused to move out.
Indian leaders believe that some Zulu politicians might use a similar tactic in Cotton-lands in order to force the Indian families to move out from their homes. The Indians have been living in this area for more than 100 years,
Article extracted from this publication >> February 16, 1990
