From Magazine Barracks to Chatsworth: the story of Durban's indentured labourers

To mark the 60th anniversary of the forced removal of families from the Municipal Workers Compound, Magazine Barracks to Chatsworth and surrounding areas, former resident and chairman of the South Africa non-racial Olympic Committee (San-Roc), Sam Ramsamy reflects on the living memory of the barracks. Ramsamy, together with the Magazine Barracks Remembrance Association, will launch a commemorative booklet on March 8.

OUR labouring forefathers, who were housed, together with their families, in the municipal compound called “Magazine Barracks”, kept the city of Durban neat, tidy and functioning for years untold. These pioneers, through their hard work and tireless efforts, kept the community intact despite a myriad of challenges

With all the difficulties encountered, the descendants of Magazine Barracks produced several successful offspring, including doctors, lawyers, nurses, cultural artists, educators, sports stars and liberation stalwarts, who played a significant roles in the democratising operandi of present-day South Africa.

The arrival of the SS Truro on November 16, 1860, brought the first group of Indians to work on the sugar cane fields in Natal as indentured labourers. No sooner did the Durban Municipality engage Indians to service the city. The workers were initially barracked in a partially informal settlement near the Durban Point. Thereafter, they were moved in about 1880 to wood and iron shelters, next door to buildings that stored war ammunitions or magazines. And so, the shelters came to be known as Magazine Barracks.

The shelters were built in long rows with corrugated iron roofing. In designated parts of the barracks, the municipality erected latrines, showers and places for the washing of clothes and utensils, all on a communal basis. All had only cold running water with no privacy whatsoever. House-lighting was by paraffin lanterns.

The environment was atrocious from the beginning and these wood and iron shelters shelters became known as “Tin Barracks”. Even the Durban City Council indicated that Magazine Barracks was not suitable for human occupation. Thereafter the area was expanded and parts included brick buildings with electric house-lighting. But latrines, showers and places for general washing remained communal. Only in the late 1940s toilets were built into the brick buildings.

Most of the labourers worked as street cleaners, night-soil removers, gardeners tending the municipal parks and gardens and servicing the general infrastructure of the municipality. A small number were employed as junior clerks.

Just before the population was moved to Chatsworth in the 1960s, there were about 23 300 families living in Magazine Barracks with an estimated population of about 7 000. Some say the population neared about 10 000. The original site of Magazine Barracks is the present location of the Durban Magistrate’s Court and the police headquarters.

Community spirit prevailed from the very beginning at Magazine Barracks. The employees were poorly paid but charity in all its manifestations prevailed in abundance. People fell sick and unwell. Very few could afford doctors’ fees. But friends and neighbours came with various homeopathic cures. Overall, Magazine Barracks was a vibrant, caring community. Although most just managed to make ends meet, most households still managed to find a few pennies to slot into collection boxes for of charitable causes.

Huge numbers turned up at funeral services to bid farewell to friends and relatives. Festivities played a cohesive role in highlighting the communal spirit. The Deepavali, Christmas and New Year events were periods for the whole community.

All municipal workers received weekly and monthly rations made up of non-perishable food like dhall, beans, mielie-meal, oil and salt. Wood was given to all. As there was no electricity in Tin Barracks, a paraffin ration was given to households.

Originally over 85% of the residents were Hindus; Christians were about 10% and a small proportion were Muslims. After about 1960, the Christian count increased, with a decrease in the Hindu population.

The Vishnu Temple built in 1895, was one of the oldest temples in South Africa. The much larger Mariammen Temple was later built next to it. The Hindi-speaking residents worshipped at the Somtseu Road Hindi Temple. The Telegu Baptist Church in Somtseu Road and the Tamil Baptist Church built on neighbouring railway property, catered for the Christian community.

Depot Road School, situated near the entrance of Magazine Barracks, was initially built to accommodate boys from Magazine Barracks. In fact, classes for boys (then Class 1 and 2) were held in drama hall situated inside the barracks. And from Standard 1 (now Grade 3), the boys were transferred to Depot Road. Most stayed until reaching Standard 6 and sat for the PSC Examinations (Primary School Certificate Examinations). Pupils achieving high grade passes were admitted to Sastri College. It was then the only secondary school for Indians in Durban.

Indian labourers were recruited by the municipality as early as 1864. In the early stages, several individuals and groups made representations and addressed complaints to their “bosses” about their working conditions and the issue of housing in Magazine Barracks. Out of this, the Durban Indian Municipal Employees Society (DIMES) came into formal existence on May 5,1935. Prominent community members played a leading role in its founding, especially George Singh.

Although most of the residents of Magazine Barracks were not “card-carrying” members of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC), they nevertheless supported all their activities. They attended en masse the rallies organised by NIC at the famous Red Square (Nichol Square in Pine Street). DIMES worked very closely with the NIC. On many occasions, there was joint representation, especially when seeking increased salaries, and demanding improved housing and or better working conditions.

The residents of Magazine Barracks were forcibly moved to Chatsworth between 1964 and 1966. Magazine Barracks residents had easy access to their respective places of work, schooling for their children, sports and leisure activities, including easy reach reach of the beaches, theatres and cinemas.

The Chatsworth housing township was located more than 20km from the city. Besides attending to the increased hazards of moving and settling in Chatsworth, the workers were now encountering major rental, transport and other subsistence related costs, placing which increased families under serious financial stress. It is believed that expenditure more than quadrupled in a short time.

Sam Ramsamy is presently an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee and the first vice president of the International Swimming Federation (Fina). He was a physical education lecturer and primary/secondary teacher. During the 1970s and 1980s, he was a high-profile anti-apartheid activist in the United Kingdom and was chairman of the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (Sanroc). His involvement in sports generally and specifically athletics, football and swimming; and extends from participation, to coaching, to administration. He was the founding President of the National Olympic Committee of South Africa, which position he held from 1991 to 2005. He is the author of Apartheid the Real Hurdle and Reflections – On a Life in Sport. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of The Post, IOL or Independent Media.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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