KZN salutes the Indian community’s 1860 indentured labour legacy

'ENDURED GREAT ADVERSITY'

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TODAY, as we approach the 165th commemoration and celebration of the arrival of the first 342 men, women, and children of Indian origin on November 16, 1860, I, on behalf of the people of KwaZulu-Natal, wish to recognise and salute the Indian community in KZN and South Africa at large.

This recognition is not just ceremonial; it is a heartfelt tribute to the historical roots and remarkable contributions of their forebears — a collective of sugar cane workers who endured unimaginable hardships with stoic resilience.

To truly appreciate the magnitude of this iconic story, we must pause and reflect on the 16-and-a-half decades that have passed since the first ship, the SS Truro, arrived on our shores, bringing with it a new chapter in our province's history. The legacy of these indentured labourers is woven into the fabric of KZN, a province long celebrated for its agricultural prowess, often referred to as the “Garden Province”.

This is a story of human drama — one of hardship, resilience, pain, and sacrifice. The Indian indentured labourers, known as “Girmitiyas”, toiled under the harsh African sun from dawn until dusk, turning fields of green into gold for the benefit of colonial plantation barons. These men and women endured unimaginable suffering, with women subjected to sexual violence, and many families broken by the cruelties of colonial systems.

The history is one of great injustice — of people stripped of their dignity, often subjected to violence, and at times even death for resisting the system. The historical context of this chapter is essential. During Britain’s colonial rule of India, which lasted from 1858 to 1947, millions of impoverished Indians, mainly from the regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, were coerced into indentured servitude to work in British colonies around the world.