Gandhi in South Africa

In 1893,Gandhi went to South Africa to do some legal work South Africa was then under British rule. Almost immediately, he was abused because he was an Indian who claimed his rights as a British subject. He saw that all Indians suffered from discrimination. His law assignment was for one year, but he stayed on in South Africa for 21 years to work for Indian rights. Gandhi led many campaigns in South Africa and edited a newspaper Indian Opinion.

As a part of sahyagraha, he promoted civil disobedience campaigns and organized a strike among Indian Miners. Gandhi also worked for the British when he thought justice was on their side. He was decorated by them for medical work in the Anglo-Boer war. Gandhi fully developed his philosophy
of life in South Africa. He was greatly influenced by writings of Leo Tolstoy's and John Ruskin but his greatest influence on him was Bhagavada-Gita, which became an unfailing source of inspiration.