In South Africa, as already stated the attitude of the whites for the coloureds was tyrannical. Whites considered terrorising the coloured people as their birth right and the racial duty.
During the day Indians could only walk on the footpaths. The main roads were exclusively reserved for the use of the white people. If any coloured strayed on the main road he was subjected to the severe thrashing by the police for violating the law.
The Indians would not come out of their homes after 9 p.m. for fear of humiliation by the Whites.
Mohandas Gandhi was an educated person and a Barrister. His self-respect would sometimes push him on to the main road just to challenge the injustice being imposed on the Indians. On impulse he would defy the racial rules. In one such mood one day he began to stroll on the main road. A police man saw it. He rushed to give a whack to Gandhi when Mr. Keats Quacker happened to arrive there. He rebuked the policeman and said to Mohandas, “Mr. Gandhi, you must file a case against this police officer. He had no right to physically assault you. I will stand witness for you.”
But Gandhi preferred to forget the issue because he knew that a coloured man would not get any justice in South African Court.
From the very next day he too started using the footpath only. He realised that as yet he was the lonely voice against justice. To wage an effective war he first needed to unite the Indians. Till then the discretion was the better part of the valour.
On his own Mohandas Gandhi studied the case of Seth Abdullah deeply. The opponent was none other than a relative of the Seth’s own named Tayyabji. He impressed upon both the parties that they were merely engaged in legal fratricides. And in the process they were filling the coffers of the lawyers and giving an opportunity to the whitemen to show others how stupid Indians destroyed one another.
He pleaded to both of them to compromise with each other and stop the foolish litigation. Gandhi’s arguments made sense. Seth Abdullah and Seth Tayyabji settled the mater between themselves amicably.
It was a victory for Gandhi because he had saved two Indians in one attempt from ruin. He had earned deep respect of both Seth Abdullah and Tayyabji. Whoever heard the sensible act of Gandhi became his admirer.
Most of the Indians in South Africa were very impressed with him because in his own way he had set an example for all the Indians to come together instead of falling out.
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