M. J. Naidoo

M.J. Naidoo (Mooroogiah Jayarajapathy Naidoo 1931–1997) was a South African Indian anti-apartheid activist and lawyer. Naidoo played an active role in the re-launched Natal Indian Congress (NIC) in October 1971. Durban at that time was a "cauldron" of debates about mobilization against apartheid, and filled with a matrix of personal friendships and traditional activism were changed.

The implementation of the group areas act, the displacement of the magazine barracks community to Chatsworth had uprooted many families. Naidoo was a central part of the "Durban Moment" which was committed to non-violent resistance, inspired by Gandhi. Revival was initially led by Mewa Ramgobin and later by George Sewpersadh, both who had to step back after state banning orders. M.J. Naidoo stepped in as the acting president from 1973 to 1978. Naidoo was also a member of the Durban Six and a defendant in the Pietermaritzburg Treason Trial. He died in 1997, aged 66.

Family history

MJ Naidoo was a descendant of indentured labourers who arrived in South Africa between 1860. His grandfather, Rungiah Naidoo, became a market gardener after completing his period of indenture. His father, R.M. Naidoo, was a shopkeeper and land estate agent who established his business in the central Indian commercial area and lived in a flat in highlight, Prince Edward Street, Durban.

R.M Naidoo was particularly engaged with the Indian municipal workers living near the beach in Magazine Barracks, which had a significant concentration of Tamil people in South Africa, and become the secretary of Durban Indian Municipal Employees Society (D.I.M.E.S.).

M.J. Naidoo was born in 1931. He had five older siblings and one younger. His birth coincided with the great depression, and his father lost his business and retreated to Mount Edgecombe, where he had earlier purchased a small farm with a spacious homestead. When MJ’s parents died, he was sent to live with relatives. His older brother, M.D. Naidoo was already active in politics and deemed an unsuitable guardian by the family for his younger siblings.

M.J. Naidoo enrolled in Sastri College , South Africa's first Indian High School, located in Durban Central.

Early Activism in the family

M.J. Naidoo's activist brother lived in a flat in town and this become the de facto headquarters of both the Party and Congress. Famous political activists frequently visited the premises, such as J.B. Marks, Dawood Seedat, and Cassim Amra. M.J. Naidoo became involved and sold The Guardian newspapers, the official organ of the Party, and he attended the meetings at the Red Square and Curries Fountain where Dr. Dadoo, Chief Luthuli, J.N. Singh, Monty Naicker, Ismail Meer, A.I. Meer, Debi Singh, and his brother spoke. MJ also came into contact with trade Unionists, A.A. Naidoo, George Poonen, his wife Vera, Billy Peters, and R.D. Naidoo.

M.J. Naidoo sister Tim Naidoo married Mac Maharaj in 1958.

References

20th-century South African lawyers
South African anti-apartheid activists
Natal Indian Congress politicians

South African politicians of Indian descent
1931 births
1997 deaths

{{KwaZuluNatal-politician-stub
South African people of Telugu descent