WHITE SETTLER AND THE INDIAN IMMIGRANT- A PARADOX- IN SOUTH AFRICA

The first Indians arrived during the Dutch colonial era, as slaves, in 1684. A conservative calculation
based strictly on records shows over 16 300 slaves from the Indian subcontinent having been
brought to the Cape. In the decades 1690 to 1725 over 80% of the slaves were Indians. This practice
continued until the end of slavery in 1838. They made up the majority of slaves that came from the
Far East and were by the 1880s totally integrated into the Cape White and Coloured communities.
(1)
India had, sometimes during the Gupta Dynasty, discovered methods of turning sugar cane juice into
sugar grains. Sugar reached Europe via Indian Sailors; there it was known as sweet salt.
Better methods of sugar production saw it becoming affordable to the poor. The increasing use of
the product saw sugar becoming an important commodity in the worlds economy.
Its important to note that the very same commodity, Sugar-Sanskrit word Shakara also meaning
sand or gravel, was responsible for the emigrant Coolie from India moving to different parts of the
British Empire including the Colony of Natal.(2)
The British saw the need for emigrant labour to boost sugar production after the abolishment of
Slavery in 1864. It was Natal Farmer, James Renault Saunders, who motivated for importing Indian
labour to Natal. He called himself the father of indenture. Saunders had successfully employed
Indian labour while farming in Mauritius. The Indians had experience in matters relating to sugar
production.
The Native Affairs commission of 1852-1853 found that a uniform insufficient supply of labour had
arisen because of an over abundance of land located in the reserves, in spite of the presence of a
large indigenous population. This resulted in Africans enjoying a certain amount of economic
independence obviating the need to subject themselves to regular employment with the colonial
farmer. This hampered development of the colonys economy. (3)
The propagation of importing Indian Indentured labourers to Natal, during the late 1850s, was by
The Natal mercury and its editor, George Robinson. The abundance of farming land, capital and
markets demand for sugar and cotton meant nothing, unless a sufficient supply of labour was
secured. These circumstances led to the idea of imported Indian labour.
The request and petitions for imported labour was not readily supported. Government believed that
it was not legal for them to be involved in the provisions of such labour. The Mercury believed that
the fate of the colony of Natal hung on the issue of imported Indian labour. The governor of the
Cape, Sir George Grey, during his visit to Natal in 1855 was in favour of Indian labour and claimed
that advantages of a political, social and industrial kindwould flow from the introduction of this
class of labourers. He also pointed out that the colonist could expect numbers of coolie families
would remain as settlers after their term of service expired. (4)
Greys warning on the potential long range social consequences of Indian labour was ignored.
It was a long journey in getting approval for the importing of Indentured labourer. The Indian
government required certain requirements to be fulfilled .The Natal government had to have specific
legislation prepared before final approval could be granted. A copy of St Lucia Ordinance No.2 of
1857 was to serve as a guide to the Natal Government in preparing required legislation. (5)
During this time the Umzinto Sugar Company privately imported a group of Chinese and Malays
from Java.(6) This experiment was short-lived and showed that the Chinaman found it unappealing
to earn a meagre ten shillings after emigrating to make money.(7)
The call for importation of the indentured Indian was strong but newspapers; the Natal witness
suggested that infectious diseases would be brought into the colony. (8)The Natal Star wrote of the
evils that would ensue from the arrival of the Indians. (9)
Mabel Palmer in History of Indians, points out only a smallest fraction of the population of Natal
seems to have realised that the continuous immigration was certain to lead to the establishment of
a permanent Indian community.
It was on November 1860 that the India government granted the go- ahead for Indian immigration
to Natal.
The colonial authorities were not prepared for the arrival of the first 342 Indians. Their living
conditions on arrival were shocking, four immigrants died within days of landing.
As much as the colonist farmer fought for the need to import Indian Indenture labour, they failed to
honour the conditions of Indenture. Housing was deplorable; there was no provision of latrines.
Work hours were contrary to the agreement of indenture. Woman suckling infants or those who
were in the final month of pregnancy were found labouring in the cane fields. The justice system
seldom prevailed .Some employers followed a policy of no work no food.
The Mercury was alone in expressing concern for the welfare of Indian immigrants. John Robinson
the editor of the Mercury saw the need for the colonist to act in such a way that the Indians look at
their removal to Natal as a blessing, than in any other light. He pointed out that by introducing a new
racial group the Colonist added to the humanitarian, social and economic complexity of their
circumstances.
This reality only dawned on the white colonial society in 1880 and came to be called the Indian
Question. Humanitarian concerns did not feature with the white colonials. It is also of interest to
note that the immigration of Indian settlers received more state subsidy than the white settler. In
1863, 17000 pounds was spent on Indian immigration and 5000 pounds was allocated to European
immigration.
It was at this time that colonial Natal faced the first signs of social revolution; a small number of
indentured Indians paid a five pound commutation payment to their employers to release them
from their five year contract. This was permitted under law 14 of 1859.
The first dispute of where they should live and occupy themselves arose amongst the colonists. The
Editor of the Mercury advocated residential segregation for the free coolies where their
peculiarities will not interfere with the comfort of the European residents. JR Saunders deplored
the idea of helping coolies acquire land as he felt that they should be kept economically dependent
on the white colonists by offering their services to small farmers around Durban.
The editor of the Mercury was alone in considering the consequences that would result when
Indians exchanged the role of labourer for that of settler. All the while the indentured Indian
labourer suffered numerous abuses. They were regarded as work hands, nothing else.
There were only four schools provided by Government for children of the labourers. The schools had
no qualified teachers.
The fact that Indians spoke different languages, resulted in Indians being poorly represented in
courts. The shortcomings in interpretation reinforced the general view held that Indians were
duplicitous, prone to exaggeration and falsehoods, deceitful and litigious. (10) [My opinion is that,
that view is still held to this day, by some South Africans].
In 1909 the Indian population was 100000 with just 26 interpreters. There were cases of Indentured
labourers, who dared complain of their plight to magistrates, being flogged or fined by their
employers. Some Employers imposed Fines on Indians even in case of sickness. There were cases of
labourers receiving little or no wage at the end of the month due to the amount of fines being
issued.
It was clear that as long as the economy of Natal was progressing the Indians were just a material
value and nothing else.
As much as the white settler needed the Indian Indentured labourer for their economic survival and
benefit they did not want or even consider that the Indian Indentured labourer may become a
settler. This was the colonists Indian paradox.
The economic downturn that followed the end of the American Civil saw the welfare of the
indentured Indians experience a setback. In 1866 the sugar industry facing competition from sugar
beet, saw stagnation in the sugar industry. In the struggle for economic survival planters gave in to
the request by their indentured labourer that they be relieved of their contracts.
Indians began dispersing into other areas of employment. In April 1866 there was no need to
continue with importing of Indian labour to Natal. The Mercury reported on 23 August 1866 that
apart from six Africans, the rest of the labourers employed by the Durban Municipality were Indians.
As the decade ran its course public interest, whether Indians were labourers or settlers was very low
priority. In May 1868 there were 260 Indians living at subsistence level surviving on a small
government ration (11)
By the late 1860s there were approximately 5304 Indians in the colony. (12) Only a minority were
indentured labourers. The white settler population hardly noticed the dispersal of the contract-
expired Indian through the coast and immediate inlands areas.
They failed to register the fact that the contract expired Indians now acquired the status of settlers.
A quiet socio economic transformation was taking place .Indians were employed in various sectors
of the economy other than sugar. In the borough of Durban two Indians held retail licences by 1870
and by 1875 Indians owned property valued at 3000 pounds.
While most Colonists accepted economic co existence they were opposed to social integration. In
1871 the Mercury editorial clearly depicted the hostile feelings of the white settler towards the new
Indian settler. It was in this year that J R Saunders, Victoria Countys [Tongaat] representative in the
legislature made a renewed request for importing Indentured Indian labourers. He wrote that each
shipload of coolies brings with it, indirectly, importation of capital and capitalists. (13)
1874 saw the resumption in the flow of Indentured Indian labour. It also triggered the arrival of the
immigrant trader.
From 1875 sections of the white community found them competing commercially with Indians,
while socially whites found it challenging to accept Indian traders and businessmen as fellow
colonists.
Up until 1874, the indentured labourer was to get land in lieu of a return passage to India. It is
interesting to note that only 51 applicants were successful in their claims for land. The only grants of
crown land ever made to Indians were at Braemar, Alexandra County, in 1883. It comprised 53 lots
each of 15 acres. But Indians did acquire land in the Inanda division of Victoria County. 1000 acres
were in Indian hands, by 1877 this figure increased to 3000 acres . Indian market gardeners and
small farmers cultivated maize and made it affordable for all. The Indians had a virtual monopoly on
the supply of fresh fish in Durban.
From their scattered holdings Indians outpaced African and white food producers. Indian traders had
become a threat to white traders. Laws were implemented to protect the interests of the white
trader. Trading laws, Pass laws and a slew of other anti- Indian laws were passed to restrict the rights
of Indians. By 1885 the scale and depth of resentment of the white settler towards Indians settlers
was at its worst. It amounted to economic, political and social freedom being removed from Indians.
In January 1885 Natal Governor, Sir Henry Bulwer, stated that there is at present moment an
unfavourable feeling in the Colony towards the Indian population.
Anti Indian sentiment is back in the limelight in Kwa Zulu Natal post 1994.The only difference is that
the resentment this time is from an African Black section of the population. (14) (15) (16). It is
therefore important for the formation of an open opportunity society for all South Africans.
___________________________________________
Jeeva Pillay
References
Duncan Du Bois, Labourer or Settler, Colonial Natal's Dilemma 1860-1887, Just Done Productions
Publishing, Durban 2011. Most referenced.
Desai, Ashwin and Vahed, Goolam, Inside Indian Indenture: A South African Story1860-1914, Cape
Town, 2010.
Robert Ross, A concise History of South Africa, Cambridge University Press [UK] 1999
Verulam Document Centre, Indentured Indians, A brief History 1860-1911, Verulam Historical
Society, Verulam.
Bridglal Pachai, The International Aspects of the South African Indian Question1860-1971, Cape
Town, 1971.


(1) south African history on line www.sahistory.org.za/people-south-africa/indian-south-africans
24/07/2013 4.53pm ,10.30 pm 04/08/2013]
(2) Verulam document centre A brief history Indentured Indians.Verulam Historical society, Second
edition
(3) Duncan Du Bois-Labourer or Settler? Just Done productions publishing 2011.
(4) Natal Mercury, 9thNovember 1855.
(5) GH32, Natal No.1, Lytton to Scott, 25 June 1858.
(6) Natal Mercury, 11 February 1858.
(7) B Pachai, The international aspects of the south African Indian Question1860-1971, Cape Town,
1971.
(8) Natal witness, 6 July 1860
(9) Natal Star 20 October 1860.
(10) Duncan Du Bois, Labourer or Settler, Just Done Productions Publishers, 2011
(11) LM Thompson, Indian Immigration, page 106.
(12) Blue book for the Colony of Natal, 1868 page R2.4
(13) Letter to the editor, Natal Mercury, 17 august 1871]
(14) MFeka wrote, in reaction to the Indian Newcastle Mayor suffering a perceived a racial slur and
wanting discipline action carried out against a traffic official. "Such an action is certain to attract
severe African contempt. First and foremost, you are an Indian and, contrary to what you believe
and what you perhaps have been taught, South Africa is an African country with its land in its totality
and proportion rightfully belonging to its indigenous African people." The column was appeared in
the City Press written by a businessman Phumlani Mfeka, 30 may 2013 15.13
//mg.co.za/article/2013-05-30-city-press-stands-by-its-anti-indian-article
(15) Andile Mngxitama. The worst is the talk of "Indian excellence and hard work", half-truths and
bad faith that serve only to annoy the African more, because we all know it's not the Indian's hard
work but apartheid that apportioned privileges and thus enables these "achievements".
mg.co.za/article/2013-05-24-00-the-roots-of-anti-indian-racism.
(16) Mazibuye African Forum, The group is advocating for some Indian-owned land to be distributed
to Africans and for Indians to lose their BEE status, among other things. www.thepost.co.za/anti-
indian-group-criticised-1.1547798#.Uf-QbvXTDSg