As South Africa prepares to mark 165 years since the arrival of the first Indian indentured labourers, the director of a Durban heritage centre is urging citizens to take part in the commemorations.
The milestone will be observed on Sunday, honouring the arrival of the Truro in 1860 the first of many ships that brought thousands of labourers from India to work on KwaZulu-Natal’s sugarcane plantations.
Selvan Naidoo, Director of the 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban, says these stories remain a crucial but often underrepresented part of the country’s history.
“Indenture makes up one of the many stories that still need to be told as part of our collective South African history,” Naidoo said.
Between 1860 and 1911, an estimated 152,184 people were transported as human cargo on hundreds of ships to support the colonial sugar industry in the province. Naidoo says acknowledging this history is vital for understanding the country’s social fabric.
“History is an important inspiration for living a meaningful life. Across society, many people don’t fully understand our past, and this inspiration is critical as we move forward,” he said.
To mark the anniversary, the centre will host the 1860 Memorial Lecture on Saturday, delivered by scholar and activist Professor Ashwin Desai. This will be preceded by a public lecture by Professor Raja Masry, who will present an analysis of the Durban ships list documenting indentured arrivals from 1860 to 1911.
The commemorations will culminate on 16 November at the Durban beachfront promenade, where the 165th Indentured Workers’ Day will be observed at the site of the planned Indentured Workers’ Monument.