World acclaimed KwaZulu-Natal playwright Mbongeni Ngema may have become a villain in the eyes of some for his anti-Indian song, but his call for a dialogue to resolve racial tensions between Africans and Indians has jolted the ANC into action at last.
On Wednesday the ANC in KZN unveiled an ambitious plan to be implemented by municipalities it controls in the province - from KwaDukuza to Kokstad - to promote a non-racial culture through inter-faith forums, black economic empowerment initiatives, sport and joint business tenders.
Falling short of publicly backing Ngema, but admitting its actions were motivated by his song, the ANC said it would use R15-billion of the municipal budgets it controls to foster racial reconciliation, especially between Indians and Africans at local level.
This will be done through equitable redistribution of basic services and awarding of tenders.
It said there would be complaints offices located in the ANC mayors' offices to deal with all complaints of racial discrimination in the workplace, municipal offices like Martin West Building and in government departments.
Departments which do not reflect the racial demographics of the province in the make-up of their top echelons will come under the spotlight.
People who will man the anti-racism desks in municipalities will be announced by the mayors shortly.
Provincial ANC leader S'bu Ndebele, flanked by some ANC mayors from across KZN, told journalists on Wednesday that his party's action would not fail.
Ndebele said that 85 percent of South African Indians lived in KZN,three percent of whom were across the Tugela River where the ANC did not have political control.
South of Tugela, he explained, Indians lived under ANC rule, adding that as government "we have a particular responsibility to create conditions for non-racialism at local level".
Ndebele said they would use the programme to bring down the walls of apartheid which created places like Umlazi (for Africans) and Chatsworth (for Indians).
"The racial problem exists, and it needs to be addressed in a constructive manner," he said.
eThekwini Unicity speaker Nomusa Dube said Durban had already made some headway, adding that there would soon be an "ombudsperson's office".
"We have budgeted for sport interactions between various communities, and the mayor will announce some of the programmes," Dube said.
Ngema's AmaNdiya song - in which he berates the way Indians treat their fellow African brothers and sisters - has ruffled feathers. Its banning by the Broadcast Complaints Commission and the author's successful bid to set aside a court order stopping its distribution has generated heated debate.
It has also resulted in a symposium to discuss relations between the two largest black communities in KZN this weekend.
Some eminent personalities at the Afro-Indian symposium will be Deputy President Jacob Zuma, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi and other religious and civic leaders.
