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the assignment he came for? He decided to stay back considering the hardships as superficial.
Throughout the journey, Gandhi always made written complaints about his troubles to the respective authority and got some relief. At each halt during the journey, Indian acquaintances of Abdulla Sheth were there to meet him and share their similar gory experiences. His first day in Pretoria also had shocks for him as no one came to meet him and he had to make alternate arrangement himself. Even first meeting with attorney, Mr. Baker, was disappointing as he told Gandhi that he would just collect data to assist another English lawyer hired.
Gandhi's personal experience of violence thus took place against the backdrop of systemic discrimination throughout South Africa. He learned about "Transvaal Grondwet," (or the constitution 1862, Fundamental Law), that stated that no equality, either in the Church or State, could exist between white and coloured people.
Through Sheth Tyabji, he started making contacts with Indians. He had his first public meeting with Indians and tried to organize an association to get some of their problems resolved. There was some success. This offered him an excellent opportunity to know about the living conditions of Indians and their plight. He did try successfully to get some facilities for them, like facility to travel first and second class provided they were dressed properly.? Thus he used his time to make a deep study of social economic and political conditions of Indians in Transvaal and The Orange Free State also but concentrated on his legal work for his client.
He worked hard to collect data to work on the case for Abdulla Sheth as he had no knowledge of book keeping earlier. He did it not only for Abdulla Sheth but of his opponent in the case Tyabji
Gandhi & Jainism | Pg.43