Celebrating 165 years since the arrival of the Indians in SA

DECENT HOUSING

- ZAKHELE COLLISION NDLOVU

THE arrival of Indians from the Indian subcontinent in the late 1800s and the early 1900s marked a significant milestone in the history of what is now known as South Africa. This month, South Africa celebrates 165 years since the arrival of Indians.

According to the 2022 Census data, South African Indians comprise approximately 3% of the country’s population. While they are found across the country, the majority reside in and around Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.

While some South Africans tend to see and even stereotype Indians as a monolithic group, there is actually so much heterogeneity and diversity in terms of countries of origin, language, culture, religion and how they ended up in South Africa.

South Africans of Indian origin are a multifaith community. While most South African Indians speak English as their first language, some speak Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Punjabi and Gujarati. What is interesting is that while South African Indians have not lost their sense of identity, they have also fully embraced their South African nationality.

Without a doubt, South Africans of Indian descent have left an indelible mark on South African life. This includes the arts, culture, politics, economy, education, cuisine and sports. In this sense, the arrival of Indians has added another dimension to every aspect of South African life, making it much richer, more diversified, and indeed alive with possibilities

South Africa’s most celebrated jurists include the internationally-renowned Navi Pillay, Ismail Mahomed and the current Justice of the Constitutional Court, Narandran “Jody” Kollapen.

Although the celebrated arrival of Indians in South Africa dates back to the late 1800s, it is worth noting that some Indians had arrived as early as the late 1600s. They were the first Indians to be brought to South Africa as slaves. They ultimately became an integral part of the larger Muslim community in what is now the Western Cape province.