Telegrams and letters sent to Halima from Goolam, c. 1938 – 1954, including:
Sixteen telegrams, dated 1941 and 1954, sent by Goolam from Cape Town to Halima in Johannesburg.
Seven letters to Halima (dated 10 and 25 March; 6 April [incomplete: page 3 and last page/s missing] and 29 April; 13, 25 and 26 December 1938): include references to their relationship, a reference to Goolam’s mother (a political activist in her day), trends in left-wing political movements, comments about certain political figures, Halima’s series of addresses to cultural meetings in Johannesburg, involvement in politics of Khadija, and Halima’s speech-training, her health, etc.
Reports sent to Halima by Goolam, regarding political activities, and comments by him about their marriage (1941 – 1954):
October 1941: Personal relationship in light of political philosophy.
June 1942: Description of a conference, presumably of the Teachers’ League of South Africa (TLSA) in Cape Town: “our men … completely dominated the conference” - Goolam discusses prowess of their team etc. ( He mentions having enclosed pressclippings, but the clippings are not with the letter. In the small bundle of pressclippings with the collection [in folder D.b.] there are some which are almost certainly the cuttings mentioned by Goolam – photocopies of these clippings are attached to this letter, for information).
Port Elizabeth, 28 June 1943: Anti-CAD (Anti-Coloured Affairs Department) conference, developments in the All-African Convention (AAC) in the Eastern Cape; brief reference to the African Teachers’ Conference and the TLSA; criticism of the Cape African Congress. Also references to distribution of the Anti-CAD Bulletin in smaller towns of the Cape Province.
Port Elizabeth, 29 June 1943: has been to Cape African Congress meeting addressed by Calata; has spoken to Z K Matthews and M Desai the trade unionist; comments on attitude of Jabavu, A. Ismail and Kajee etc.; refers to issue of equal payment for African, Indian and Coloured soldiers; refers to forthcoming Cape Town municipal election, etc.
10 August 1943: Brief comments on political strategies involved in the forthcoming municipal elections in Ward 7 and District 6.
23 July 1945: Discussion of successful political meetings in Kimberley and good political prospects in that area.
6 January 1946: Describes train journey from Kimberley to Cape Town by a group of 23 Unity Movement delegates who successfully dined in the whites-only dining saloon, etc. Comments on his home-coming and the absence of Halima and Shirin.
4 May 1949: Comments on the absence of Halima etc.
9 July 1953: Comments on Halima’s absence in Johannesburg etc. and passing references to various associates, including Karriem [? Essack], Tabby [I B Tabata] and Seymour [?Papert]. Dick (?) has been offered principalship of Livingstone High, etc.
Queenstown, 14 December 1953: two letters - Goolam not well, but Cape African Teachers’ Association (CATA) meeting successful, etc.
Glen Grey Valley, 19 December 1953: has been interviewing the ‘leaders of the peasants from Zululand and … leaders of the local peasantry’ ; AAC conference outstanding success; Society of Young Africa (SOYA) gives hope for the future, etc.
Queenstown vicinity, 20 December 1953:Three letters – Goolam with Wyckie [?Wycliffe Mlungisi Tsotsi, Attorney-at-law, Lady Frere] and I B Tabata et al; refers to dinner invitation from “local Indian bourgeois”; plans to visit Tabata’s mother; success of CATA conference likely to result in reprisals for teachers who attended; description of heavy police presence, and wide network of police informers in the area etc.; critical comments about an ANC conference, including a reference to conflict between pro- and anti-communist factions, etc.
4 April 1954: Very unfavourable description of a gathering of activists [?Anti-CAD]: refers to “Kieses, Coopers” etc.
Letters from Halima
Undated letter to Goolam, probably written before their marriage, warning him of attempts to undermine his position in the African Trade Union etc.
Three letters to Goolam from Halima sent from Johannesburg c. August 1943: had been to the Fordsburg citizens’ protest rally and although not well she had met with Meer and some others, and had also attended an Anti-CAD committee meeting - critical of the activists in Johannesburg.
One unsigned incomplete letter, possibly from Halima to Goolam.
Twenty letters from Halima to members of her family (1937 – 1943, undated and 1967): mostly about family news, her siblings’ health, clothes, education, with some references to political activities; the four letters dating from 1967 are to Shirin and her friends written while Halima was temporarily away from home.
Items sent to Halima, and to Goolam
To Halima from family members:
Fatima Nagdee (two letters,1951 and 1954, and a fragmentary torn letter, possibly from Fatima to Halima).
Ayesha (ten items, 1942 – 1953).
Amina and Sol (twenty-three items, c.1939 – 1954).
Khadija (two letters, 1939 – 1953).
Solly (two letters to Halima and one letter to his mother, presumably enclosed with letter to Halima, 1953).
Rookhia and Errol (seven from Rookhia and one from Errol, 1952 – 1954 and undated).
Mahmood (one Eid greeting card, 1942).
?Jane (one telegram,1954).
including one incomplete letter, 1936 – 1942 and undated).
To Halima from Baron Omar Rolf Ehrenfels (three items, including one incomplete letter,1937 – 1938).
To Halima from Rita (five letters, 1942 – 1949).
To Halima from All African Convention (AAC) comrades and associates in other political organizations (fourteen items, 1938 – 1954 and undated).
To Halima from Mrs B Haus, and other contacts, not re political activities (4 letters, 1942 and 1954 and undated).
Two telegrams, dated October 1941, sent to Halima by Ben Kies, regarding Halima’s temporary separation from Goolam
To Goolam [and family] from various friends and associates (7 items, 1938 – 1954), and one unidentified fragment, part of a letter possibly addressed to Goolam and/or Halima, commenting on Dadoo, Cissy, Kajee etc.
Unidentified fragments of letters and other documents about various topics, including a light-hearted handwritten narrative about family life, and also used envelopes, stamps etc.
Notebooks, presumably Halima’s, varied entries dated c. 1934 – 1954
Hard-covered notebook (fragile) containing entries made c. 1934 – 1937 by Halima. Includes list of letters received, some genealogical notes about her family, chronology of some events in the life of the Nagdee family, sporadic diary entries and several loose items.
“The Dorithona pocket book and card case”: entries mostly about political activities - names and addresses, record of payments received, brief notes, loose items (c. 1939 and undated)
Diary printed for July to September 1940, but marked in pencil “April 1941” (contains very few entries, presumably household expenses)
“Top-notch memorandum book” contains mixed entries (c. 1952 – 1954), some apparently personal, some to do with political activities: lists of purchases, etc. There are also some verbatim notes on a discussion concerning a dispute about the running of a company - the speaker might have been Ahmed Nagdee, and the company his family business.
“Diary 2nd quarter 1953” – contains sparse and apparently random entries