A helping hand to the needy
“Sunklavathy” Rajbally has served society well
SUNKLAVATHY was the name given to her when a priest who was performing a prayer at a neighbour’s home was consulted.
The priest had just finished blowing a horn during the prayer session, when he opened a religious book and made the inspired name choice.
His pick was apt because for much of her life Sunklavathy, better known as Margaret Rajbally has been highlighting the plight of the prejudiced and needy.
Rajbally, 81, was well known as a maverick trade unionist in the textile industry who championed the cause of workers in spite of the numerous attacks on her life from opposition forces.
Her service to society took a new direction when she retired in 1992. That was when her political career began.
She played a pivotal role in the formation of the Minority Front alongside the political party’s savvy leader, Amichand Rajbansi. Given her appetite for taking up the fight on behalf of others, Rajbally served as a councillor and deputy mayor in the ethekwini municipality before serving two terms (1999 to 2009) in Parliament in Cape Town.
Last year, she bowed out of active politics and the MF gave her a special send-off in honour of her contributions over the years. Rajbally continues to serve the party as an advisor and members of her community, especially senior citizens, love to pick her brain.
“I thank God that I had the desire and spirit to fight for others. All through my life I always believed that I didn’t matter, but people mattered,” said Rajbally.
The youngest of nine children, she was “excellent” at school. Her taxi driver father, Rajbally Takurie, believed it was prudent for her to leave their home in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg to complete her schooling at Durban’s Sastri College.
While working towards her matric qualification part time, Rajbally worked as a machinist with Ascot Clothing in Umbilo to fund her schooling from the age of 15.
Soon she was elected shop steward and her prominence in the workplace grew.
After 20 years with Ascot,
Rajbally joined the Garment
Workers Industrial Union as a senior organiser.
Her task was to garner support for the union by signing up members, which required her to travel to some far flung corners of the country.
“The apartheid government used its ‘Influx Control’ policy to keep black people away from the city,” Rajbally said.
On the road trips in her trusted Austin Cambridge car various attempts were made on her life by rivals.
In separate incidents, she dodged a bullet, fled on foot from hijackers, escaped from a knife-wielding attacker and got out of a strangler’s grip with help from workers.
“I risked my life on many occasions, but God always saved me. I never felt like giving up after those experiences, it just gave me more motivation.”
Rajbally was a tough negotiator and agitator.
“I used to say to factory owners, pay the workers better because they are making you rich.
“I was a pro at calling strikes. While negotiating with the bosses in the office, at times I would scribble a message on a piece of paper and throw it through the window to workers and call for strike action,” Rajbally recalled.
During her years as a unionist, Rajbally travelled to 26 countries around the world to further her trade union knowledge, including Israel, where she completed a fouryear industrial law diploma in nine months.
She said at the dawn of democracy in South Africa, Rajbansi approached her about forming a party, which was later launched in 1993.
“The two of us came up with the MF name at my previous home in Havenside (Chatsworth).”
After being Durban’s deputy mayor for three years she took up the MF’S only national position in Parliament after the 1999 elections.
Rajbally said her 10 years in
Cape Town had been her best as a politician and some of the arguments she raised revolved around land affairs and pensioner matters.
“Mr Rajbansi said I made him feel like we had a 100 seats in Parliament. His death in 2011 was a huge loss for the MF. He was one of the country’s greatest politicians.”