Former indentured worker dies at 101
A FIRST generation descendant of indentured labourers, Gengamma
Subramoney, who has worked most of her life on the sugar cane fields on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, has died aged 101.
Last year POST reported on the centenary birthday celebrations of
Subramoney, who died on
April 13.
Her parents arrived from Tamil Nadu in the late 1890s and she was born at the Huletts Sugar
Estate in Kearsney on
May 6, 1917.
Her parents, Seelan Subbiah and Ganamma, were indentured at the estate.
When Gengamma turned 21, arrangements were made for her to marry Subramoney Govender, also a first-generation descendant of indentured labourers, and the couple moved to the Tongaat Sugar Estate.
She worked alongside her husband in the sugar cane fields, planted paddy rice, vegetables and sugar cane.
Kista Govender said his mother had endured many hardships, especially with the upbringing of her 10 children.
“She would carry water in buckets for about 2km just to ensure that we were comfortable and had food. She bore her hardships without any complaints and went the extra mile to ensure all her children went to school and progressed in life,” he said. “She has sacrificed all her life for us.”
A memorial ceremony will be held at 6pm on Friday at the Brake Village Temple in oThongathi. – POST Reporter