Why UN Ocean conference should inspire SA

SOUTH Africa's 2 798km coastline is not merely a feature of its geography but a characteristic that shaped the destiny of our people.

- VISHAL SURBUN

Indigenous coastal communities of the Wild Coast held a deep symbiotic and spiritual connection to the ocean for generations. The oceans were a place of peace, where their ancestors resided. However, in later years, the oceans became gateways for foreign colonial powers, who first arrived by sea, and then, later, enslaved and indentured people were brought by ship from colonies in India, Madagascar and other parts of Africa. This labour helped build the economy of the Cape and the sugar cane fields of Natal. Where these ships once anchored around the sheltered natural bays and lagoons along the coast, settlements sprang up that later gave rise to our coastal cities of CapeTown, Gqeberha and Durban. At the core of these cities are sophisticated harbours that are hubs and engine rooms of trade and labour, connecting us to the world and global economies.