Following the abolition of the slave trade (1807), and the abolition of slavery (1833), over 1.3 million workers from
British India were contracted under the
Indian indenture system to European colonies.
Indentured Labour From 1860 to 1911, 152 184 indentured Indians from south East Asians served as indentured labourers in Natal. They came from
Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and became a source of cheap labour to the "sugarocracy” the owners of sugar mills and plantations. These bonded labourers were predominantly Hindus of the lower caste and completed contracts with companies such as • Reynolds Brothers Ltd (operated by Frank and Charles Reynolds) • Natal Estates Limited (founded by
Marshall Campbell) • the Tongaat Sugar Company (founded by Edward Renault Saunders) • Hulett Sugar (founded by
Liege Hulett). KULI (in Tamil) means payment for menial or occasional work as a porter or labourers. No loger under contract, they could return to India or remain in the colony they paid a licence fee of three pounds (£3) a year. This also applied to children over 16 years of age. 60% of indentured labourers chose to remain in South Africa as residents Some "coolies" turned to market gardening to accumulate capital and brought fresh produce from surrounds, into the borough of Durban. But life for many indentured workers and their descendants remained challenging since they did not possess the means to take on the collective might of their employers or
sirdars.
Passenger Indians From 1869, South East Asian immigrants known as "Passenger" or "Free Indians" also began migrating to the Natal colony, The majority of these traders were Muslims from Gujarat and their passage from India to Natal was independently funded. he too experienced disrespect and discrimination.
Produce Market The
Grey Street Mosque trustees permitted Hindu and Muslim entrepreneurs to sell their produce on their premises. As numbers of traders increased, commerce expanded out onto the Victoria Street. From Monday to Saturday, approximately 2000 vegetable and fruit sellers would arrive with their carts in the late evening, sleep under them and then be ready for trade the next morning. Since they did not own premises, they sold their produce and wares from carts. Those who did not have carts sold from boxes and crates. They squatted cross-legged on the street - and thus the name the "Squatters Market". Certain residents viewed these traders as a public nuisance and to manage the situation and extract revenue, the Durban Town Council built an under-cover market to control the influx of traders and market gardeners in and out of the city. Different interest groups could be identified in the various Victoria Street markets. Many traders were descendants of "passengers" and their stalls were under cover while ex-indentured Indians and their descendants predominated on the street. Stallholders at the Indian market were often in conflict with street vendors, which led to political divisions. ==The "Union" of South Africa==