9 March 1947

The Joint Declaration of Cooperation, the “Three Doctors’ Pact”, is signed by leaders of three liberation movements

 

On this day in history, the Joint Declaration of Cooperation, known in political circles as the “Three Doctors’ Pact”, was signed by leaders of three liberation movements. These leaders were Dr A.B. Xuma, president of the African National Congress (ANC); Dr. G.M. Naicker, president of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and Dr. Y.M. Dadoo of the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC).

The three doctors met in Johannesburg to sign the pact on 9 March 1947, having realised the urgent need for cooperation between the non-European groups and other democratic forces to attain basic human rights and full citizenship for all sections of the South African population.

Today the Pact is seen as an epochal agreement that played a key role in the liberation struggle. The pact set the scene for the Congress of the People which adopted the Freedom Charter, and was held in Kliptown from 25-26 June 1955.

References:

1. “The Three Doctors’ Pact of 1947” [online]. Available at: sahistory.org.za [accessed 4March 2010] 
2. “The Dadoo-Xuma-Naicker Pact” [online]. Available at: scnc.ukzn.ac.za [accessed 4 March 2010]]