Why did Mahatma Gandhi go to South Africa in 1893?

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi traveled to South Africa in 1893 to work as a lawyer, having previously trained for the profession in England.1

While he initially intended to stay only for the duration of a one-year contract, his time in the country became a pivotal period in his life. During his stay, he was personally subjected to severe racial discrimination, including being ejected from a first-class train compartment and barred from hotels reserved for Europeans. As his contract neared its end in 1894, he learned of a bill being considered by the Natal Legislative Assembly that sought to deprive Indians of the right to vote.2

At the request of the local Indian community, who were largely unfamiliar with colonial politics, Gandhi agreed to stay and lead the fight against this disenfranchisement. This decision marked the beginning of his emergence as a political and social activist, leading him to found the Natal Indian Congress and develop his philosophy of satyagraha.23