Kwazulu Natal – The underrepresentation of Indian and Coloured members of the executive in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, as announced by IFP Premier Thami Ntuli, has become a significant issue for prominent Indian leaders, lobby groups, and civil society. Despite being the second-largest population group in KZN, many have raised concerns about the gap between demographics and political representation.
Al-Jama-ah leader Asghar Khan clarified that highlighting the lack of representation of a particular group and advocating for the inclusion of all citizens in every sphere of government is not about ethnic politics.
It’s about equitable and fair representation that reflects the nation’s and, in this case, the province’s rich diversity. He argues that this political and symbolic approach leads to a better understanding of various communities, improved decision-making and problem-solving, and more effective policy outcomes.
“We are not moving in the direction of ethnic politics. I think we must not get confused. We are saying that we need to have equitable representation. There must be fair representation of the people of the community and the province in order for those people to be effectively represented.”
“A person from Richard’s Bay or a person from the far north may not have the lived experience of the person of Chatsworth, Phoenix, or the Indian community as such within the province. Therefore, we are saying that the Indian community needs to be represented by its people.”
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In our current society, many communities and groups have their contributions undervalued and often overlooked. Indian people, like many others, including coloured people, have been integral to the liberation struggle in South Africa.
Yet, their representation in government does not reflect their significant role. This lack of representation undermines these communities’ historical contributions and hinders progress toward a truly inclusive and equitable society.
However, as Khan highlighted, this wasn’t always the case. Indian representation in the KZN government has fluctuated since 1994. Today, the situation is shifting away from this trend, raising concerns about the political future of the Indian people.
Khan described the treatment of Indian people by various political parties as “voting fodder.” He argues that parties campaign in Indian-majority areas and secure votes from the community but, once in power, do little to uplift and empower them. According to Khan, no tangible returns exist for the votes and support given to these parties.
“We’ve seen for the last 30 years political parties like the DA and the ANC going to mainly Indian areas, such as Chatsworth and Phoenix, winning wards and getting the vote of the community. Yet, nothing has changed.”
“People are still suffering, and there’s a lack of opportunities for those communities. When we say that the Indian people are being used as voting fodder, we mean there’s no return on their investment. They are voting for political parties and getting no return for their vote.”
