SA Indians seek to honour their heritage
A HUNDRED years after the oppressive indenture laws have been abolished, South Africans of Indian descent have embarked on a new struggle.
They want social cohesion among the different cultures in South Africa to become a reality.
At the centenary marking the abolition of Indian indenture in South Africa at the 1860 Heritage Centre last week, board member Satish Duphelia said social cohesion was being “slowly eroded”.
He said he had walked in black townships without fear when Indians and Africans lived together and fought a common enemy – apartheid – but that no longer applied.
He said the centre, which had a wealth of information on prominent political and social leaders, aimed to be a hub for social cohesion.
“We were a united group, but today we are drifting apart. We need to form an army to fight poverty and corruption. The youth must not forget where we came from.
“We need to know about our heritage to be better people because we learn from the past. Everyone is allowed in the centre to learn that their ancestors worked hard to build this country,” Duphelia said.
The indentured labourers arrived in the country as citizens of India to work, but when their term of employment was over after five years they took up citizenship in South Africa.
“It was not an easy choice, but our forefathers loved this country.
“This history cannot be viewed in isolation, since subsequent generations integrated with other cultures to fight apartheid. This is the kind of history found in the centre,” Duphelia said.
Nalini Moodley-diar told the audience at the event that after years of turmoil and various forms of abuse during indenture, when the British government ended this form of slavery
Indians were left scattered around the world.
“The story of the Indian presence deserves broader recognition, with South Africans given platforms on which to reflect on the contribution of Indians to this country,” she said.