The first few Indians in South Africa were imported by the Dutch East India Company in the seventeenth century as slaves. They were mainly from Bengal and South India. Simon van der Stel’s maternal grandmother, Monica da Costa (Monica of the Coast), was from Bengal. Some Indians were also aboard ships that were wrecked off the Cape Coast. A few of them survived and became spouses of the local inhabitants. In 1820 a number of Indians from Bencoolen were brought to the Cape by Mr Hare on the condition that the colony was not to be responsible for these Indians. Some planters also brought in Indians at their own expense.
The majority, however were brought here by the British Government as indentured labourers to work on the sugar cane plantations. Most of them were from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The other group of Indians were referred to as “Passenger Indians” as they came at their own expense. The first group arrived in 1869. They were mainly entrepreneurs from Gujarat, many were traders, artisans, teachers and shop assistants.
Labourers working on the sugar cane fields
In 1843 Natal became a British colony. The province was poor and undeveloped...
