The demand to revive forums like Natal Indian Congress and South African Indian Congress is increasingly gaining momentum with leaders of various sections of the Indian-origin community joining the fray.

A former black consciousness activist and one of the most respected leaders of the community Bishop Reuben Phillip has praised former activist Fatima Meer for recently demanding the revival of the Natal Indian Congress and the South African Indian Congress.

"I want to express my gratitude to Professor Meer for having the courage to come out in the open to say there's a void in the community because the ruling ANC is currently facing too many challenges," 61-year-old Bishop Phillip, leader of the Anglican Church in KwaZulu-Natal, said.

"I don't think that we should be afraid to do this because there are some issues that are unique to the Indian community and therefore we should get together," Bishop Phillip, whose grand-parents came to South Africa [Images] as indentured labourers from the former Madras Presidency in south India, said.

Another former activist Sunny Gurja Singh, who spent 10 years on Robben Island prison for his political activities on behalf of the ANC in the 1960s, told PTI that the Indian-origin community needed a forum to tackle the numerous problems facing the community.

"I also believe that the ANC should have no problems with such an organisation because we will be working to mobilise the community towards taking care of the problems it is facing," he said.