Bus tour – Gandhi in Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG –  ‘I learnt during all those years to love Johannesburg even though it was a mining camp. It was in Johannesburg that I found my most precious friends. It was in Johannesburg that the foundation for the great struggle of Passive Resistance was laid in September of 1906…. Johannesburg, therefore, had the holiest of holy associations that Mrs Gandhi and I will take back to India…. ‘         Mohandas Gandhi 1914.

Those words were written 100 years ago and it is fitting that we should take time to remember Mahatma Gandhi’s involvement here and to understand how he could develop an affection for a place where he had endured racial discrimination, been imprisoned for his refusal to carry a pass and beaten to a pulp when he accepted a compromise.

Eric Itzkin, author of  ‘Gandhi’s Johannesburg; Birthplace of Satyagraha’ will be leading the tour to those places associated with Gandhi, including the forbidding Number Four on Constitution Hilland the very peaceful and rather beautiful Satyagraha Housewhere Gandhi lived with his friend Kallenbach.  The small museum has an interesting collection and Gandhi’s extremely modest quarters express his choice of a very simple, even humble life.  It would be easy to forget that he was an advocate, but for the statue in Gandhi Square which reminds us of his distinguished legal career, defending often very poor clients.

Copies of this book will be available for sale at a cost of R220.

Meet Eric Itzkin and Flo Bird on Saturday May 3 at the Sunnyside Park Hotel, 2 York Road, Parktown at 13:30, please note early starting time. Duration is three hours and the cost is R210 for members R250 for non-members (Includes entrance fee to Constitution Hill).

Please note:  It is essential to book as the tour will be stopping to visit the Museum and have tea at Satyagraha House. Bookings can be made through Computicket or with Eira Bond 011 482 3349 weekday mornings from 09:00 to 13:00.