Debate over design for 1860 indentured labourers monument

A heated debate has emerged in the Indian community over the design of a monument intended to honour the indentured Indian labourers who arrived in 1860 to work in the province’s sugar cane plantations.

The monument, intended to commemorate the arrival of the SS Truro from Madras (now Chennai), India, carrying Indian workers brought by the then-government of the Natal colony, is to be constructed near Durban’s uShaka Marine World area at a cost of R4 million.

KZN Premier Thami Ntuli announced in his recent State of the Province Address (SOPA) that the provincial government was moving forward with the plans for the monument. However, a section of the Indian community has expressed dissatisfaction with the processes surrounding its construction, particularly its design.

Ishwar Ramlutchman, a founding member of the committee established in 2010 to oversee the monument’s development, confirmed the community’s discontent, particularly regarding the design. While the design has yet to be made public, it is understood it features a bell, reminiscent of the colonial era, when it was used to signal for sugar cane field workers to start or end their workday.

“People view the bell as a colonial instrument used to control Indian and black labourers. It’s an insult to the indentured Indian labourers,” said Mr Ramlutchman, who also holds the status of a Zulu Prince following his adoption by the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini.

Echoing Mr Ramlutchman’s sentiments, politician KC Moodley criticised the lack of consultation with the Indian community about the monument’s design.

“The majority of the Indian population never knew about the proposal to build an 1860 monument. There was very little consultation with the community regarding the site and the design of the monument. The current ‘approved’ design has not been made public,” said Mr Moodley, known by his stage name Karou Charou and the leader of the 1860 NIC Congress.

He has called on Premier Ntuli to initiate fresh consultations on the matter.

“We call for the process to be halted, and that there be greater consultation with the Indian community. We are one such body that would like to be part of such an inclusive process.”

However, former Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Ravi Pillay, who was tasked by then KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala in 2020 to facilitate consultations on the monument, countered these claims, stating that consultations did take place.

“Following the community engagement, a committee convened by myself was formed. The matter has been the subject of public input over many years,” Mr Pillay said.

Following the establishment of the committee, an advertisement requesting submissions from the Indian community was placed in newspapers.

“Submissions received pursuant to the adverts plus those received in eThekwini’s process were then considered by the committee, and a concept recommendation was made to the provincial government,” Mr Pillay said.