The dignity held in doing honest labour

THERE’S nothing ugly about an Indian girl sweeping the street.

I saw a young Indian girl sweeping the street in Chatsworth and I was surprised. Never before had I witnessed a female other than a black person working as a street sweeper in South Africa. As I drove away, I couldn’t get her off my mind.

On my return, I stopped at the side of the road and went up to her. She was apprehensive when I approached her. But when I explained how surprised I was to see a pretty Indian girl doing such a menial job she became more relaxed and we conversed.

Liezel (that’s her name) doesn’t regard being a road sweeper demeaning. She had a baby to feed and needed a job. She could have stood at the stop street with her baby and lived on the generosity of the public, begging.

But she chose to earn an honest living as a road sweeper. She is a contract worker and doesn’t earn that much. But it’s enough to keep the fires burning at home.

Indians have been a remarkable success story in the country. From indentured labourers on the cane fields and workers on the factory floor earning a pittance, they are now businessmen, entrepreneurs and professionals.

Sadly, they despise manual labour and find it below their dignity to do work around the house.

Have you ever see an Indian holding a spade?

They would rather stand with folded arms and watch a casual labourer doing the work for them. I wonder what others think of Liezel sweeping the street. Of course, we now see white car guards and packers at supermarkets.

But an Indian girl sweeping the street? It’s unthinkable! But she exemplifies the dignity in honest labour.

THAYAGARAJ MARKANDAN Silverglen