A section of the Indian community opposed to the current design of an 1860 Indian monument have referenced the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu as their inspiration for their rejection of “disgraceful” artwork.
Ishwar Ramlutchman and Seelan Archary of the 1860 Commemoration Council were previously part of an initial organising committee and are now leading the group that has been “vociferous” in their objection to the recommended monument.
Erecting a monument to honour the arrival of indentured Indian labourers from Chennai in India to the then-Natal colony in 1860 was proposed in 2010 by then-premier Dr Zweli Mkhize to commemorate the 150-year anniversary.
Despite current KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli committing to fast-track the erection of the R4.4m monument, and eThekwini municipality approving the proposal for it to be constructed at the beachfront around Ushaka Marine, disagreements around its design have stalled the project for 14 years.
The main opposition to the concept, called the Arch of Unity bell tower, is the inclusion of the bell which they deem to be insulting to the Indian community as it represented “symbols of oppression”.
“We have on numerous occasions objected to the bell monument which is a direct insult on the Indian community. The bell was used to control the Indian cane cutters in the field during working hours and during fires,” said Ramlutchman.
This comes weeks after the long-awaited unveiling of a 12m statue of King Shaka at the airport named after him replaced the previous artwork that had been criticised for making the AmaZulu monarch look like a “herdboy”.
In 2010, the late King Goodwill Zwelithini demanded the removal of a R3.2m sculpture of King Shaka surrounded by cattle because it did not reflect his great-grandfather as a “warrior king”.
Ramlutchman, known as Prince Mabheka after he was adopted and accorded the status of the prince of AmaZulu kingdom by the late Zulu king, referenced that act as an inspiration for their cause.
“We are following in the footsteps of uMdlokombane (King Zwelithini). Imagine if he had accepted a herdboy portraying the legendary King Shaka,” he told TimesLIVE Premium.
“This is for future generations long after we’re gone. History won’t be told right if we don’t do something now.”
Archary said they had forwarded a proposal of what the monument should symbolise just three months into the start of formal meetings to discuss the vision for the project in 2011. They suggested it should incorporate a male cane cutter, a woman carrying cane on her head and a child carried on her back.
The bell is a very necessary reminder of the slave-like conditions under which indentured labour toiled. This must be a constant reminder to all of society
— Ravi Pillay, KZN economic development and human settlements MEC
“It represents a family unit because back then there was no place for families to leave their kids so they took them along to work,” said Archary.
They wanted those figures to be between 1.8m to 2m in height and placed in a 3m high platform with a plaque unveiled at a 2010 function by Mkhize, the South African flag and an inscription of the national anthem.
“We wanted to ensure that notwithstanding our forebears journey from India, today we are fairly and squarely South Africans. That we are proud to be South Africans of Indian heritage and proud to be black according to the constitution of our country.”
He said that submission had received a nod from more than 20 representatives within the Indian community throughout KZN and there had been no objection to it throughout the decade he was in the committee.
The reasons for the delays, he said, included the six years it took to find a suitable venue, the “statues must fall” period, a “racist attack on the Indian community statue and then a period when a project to bring in various artists to suggest what the monument should look like was introduced”.
A new committee, chaired by former KZN economic development and human settlements MEC Ravi Pillay was then established by former premier Sihle Zikalala.
Pillay said a public advertisement in two newspapers had been made calling for concepts, and after thorough consideration of the submissions made, the Arch of Unity bell tower was recommended.
Pillay said: “The bell is a very necessary reminder of the slave-like conditions under which indentured labour toiled. This must be a constant reminder to all of society.”
“At the same time it represents the resilience and fortitude inherent in the human spirit. It also holds significant spiritual and symbolic meaning and a value system that was able to overcome severe adversity.”
Archary said: “Those bells in the sugar mill towns represented symbols of oppression. Which madman would support a symbol of oppression in our democracy and who allows that? So we rejected that bell.”
He heard about a new design and saw its concept for the first time this year during a meeting called by Dr Vusi Shongwe, KZN department of sports, arts and culture director.
Shongwe said construction was back on track and he had chaired a meeting on August 7 where both Archary and Ramlutchman, who had launched a dispute with premier Ntuli, were present.
“The resolution of this meeting reached a consensus of the aesthetic inclusion of a bronze indentured labourer couple to the precinct of the already agreed monument design for which the procurement process had been completed.”
This was confirmed by Selvan Naidoo of the 1860 Heritage Centre, who is also part of the current committee.
“Their grievance was that there needs to be an inclusion of an indentured couple, which was agreed, and the process of securing the funds for that needs to happen alongside the construction of the monument. There is a signed memorandum of them agreeing to the inclusion.”
Archary, however, says they received a diagram of the new design showing “a tiny figure of a man and a woman standing next to the bell”.
He questioned why it hadn't been circulated on social media for public comment, adding their objection to the bell was on the principle of not celebrating symbols of oppression.
“We want that monument to be changed and the premier’s office to elect a new committee to get this right.”
Naidoo said the steel construction work has already begun off-site and the construction on-site would begin now that there is approval of the site by eThekwini.
The 1860 Commemoration Council said it would go as far as seeking a high court application to stop this from going ahead.
During a commemoration of the 164th anniversary of the arrival of the indentured labourers on November 17, Ntuli acknowledged that there were still areas of disagreement within the community and vowed to work with them to find a solution before erecting the statue.
“We don’t want to divide the community nor to be part of any division or faction. We want to unite the community so it’s important that whenever there are differences we should resolve them before continuing.”
Department of sport, art and culture MEC Mntomuhle Khawula said he met the leaders of the two factions recently and made it clear that the provincial government will not be “drawn into the factions”.
For me, at this point in time I think it will be a waste of money to erect the statue because after 164 years we’re still told to go back to Bombay. That money would be of better use if it’s pumped into the department of education for programmes to teach the masses about the contribution of the Indian community to society
— Ahmed Vally Mahomed
“This is not a political commemoration, it is a monument to honour and remember those arrived first here in 1860 who are our forefathers, and I pray and appeal that when we start meeting the different groups, they will understand that.”
He said his department supported the erection of the monument and it would continue offering guidance and council for that to be realised.
“I remain committed to working with all institutions that seek to advance the correct recording and preservation of our history for the benefit of generations to come and the erection of this monument will go a long way in achieving this goal.”
Meanwhile, award-winning community activist and philanthropist Dr Ahmed is Vally Mahomed of the view that education on the contribution of the Indian community in South Africa would have a greater impact than erecting a statue at the moment.
His view comes on the back of racist remarks made at the eThekwini council meeting of November 6 during a debate over a monument.
DA councillor Yogis Govender had finished her debate when an unidentified councillor remarked: “You must go to Bombay.”
“For me, at this point in time I think it will be a waste of money to erect the statue because after 164 years we’re still told to go back to Bombay,” Vally Mahomed said.
“That money would be of better use if it’s pumped to the department of education for programmes to teach the masses about the contribution of the Indian community to society.”
“What good is actually erecting a statue when we’re still going to be treated as second-class citizens? That is not acceptable after 164 years.”
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