The Dadoo Xuma Naicker Pact 9 March 1947 Doctors Pact
In 1943, a conference of the South African Indian Congress resolved to explore ways of achieving co-operation with the African National Congress. However, it was not until Dr. Monty Naicker gained control of the
Natal Indian Congress and Dr. Yusuf M. Dadoo, control of the Transvaal Indian Congress that Indo-African co-operation became a reality. Both Monty Naicker and Yusuf Dadoo departed radically from the 'old guard' of Indian politics.
A joint declaration of the three doctors as presidents of their respective bodies was made on 9 March 1947 ( Dr. A. B. Xuma served as president-general of the A.N.C.). This declaration of co-operation was considered 'imperative for the working out of a practical basis of co-operation between national organisations of the non-European peoples'. Today the Pact is seen as an epochal agreement that has played a major role in the liberation struggle. The pact set the scene for the Congress of the People (held in Kliptown 25-26 June 1955) which adopted the Freedom Charter . Today, the Charter remains the basic manifesto of the liberation struggle.