Leaders in the Indian community have ramped-up calls for decisive action in erecting an 1860 Monument that has been in the making since 2010 and in dealing with “go back to Bombay” comment made at an eThekwini Municipality Council meeting recently.
The snide remark emerged while DA executive committee member Yogis Govender made her sentiments known about the 1860 monument to honour the arrival of Indian Indentured labourers into the country, during the November 6 sitting at Durban's ICC.
The concerns were directed at KwaZulu-Natal’s Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, who attended the unveiling of a monument at the Bayview uBuntu Centre in Chatsworth last week to mark the 164th anniversary of the arrival of Indian indentured labourers in South Africa.
Community leader Seelan Archary speaking at the event said, “Stand up for us and deal with this issue of racism, deal with it severely. Show us, we expect that of you, and it should not take six months or six years”.
Archary suggested that Ntuli also “take the lead on the monument project” that has been dragging on due to political meddling since 2010.
“After all the challenges and submissions on designs we’ve had over the years, we now have a slave master's bell that was proposed to be erected.
“That is wrong, disgusting and a slap in our face,” Archary said.
Ntuli told the audience that he has yet to receive an official report about the Bombay comment, but has heard of a clip of the unfortunate incident.
"I'm hopeful that in an engagement with the MEC for Cogta that I will get significant progress in terms of seeing if something is being done about that. I don't think at this point in time we can allow anyone to divide KwaZulu-Natal.
"I will do exactly what you called for, to demonstrate leadership in the matter. I have no doubt that I am leading KwaZulu-Natal, which is multiracial, and has different communities.
“I know we are one and we are a united KwaZulu-Natal. We will never allow elements amongst our communities who seek to divide the province," said Ntuli at the event hosted by the Sivananda World Peace Foundation in association with the provincial government, Gopio International and Gopio Durban Chapter.
On the delay in the construction of the 1860 monument, Ntuli said there were some issues that needed to be sorted out amongst the community.
"The problem is not with the office, the problem is with the community. There are areas of disagreement that ought to be sorted out before we carry on. We don't want to divide the community. When there are differences we should sit down and resolve.”
Ntuli said during his state of the province address he made a commitment to have the monument erected.
“I will still keep that promise.”
The DA’s caucus chief whip in eThekwini Thabani Mthethwa said they condemn the Bombay incident and they have been communicating with the Speaker of Council, Thabani Nyawose, and he promised to produce a report at the next Council meeting.
“What we expect is for the Speaker to investigate, identify the perpetrator at the next meeting (December 2) and deal harshly with that person, " said Mthethwa.
In the aftermath, Nyawose also expressed outrage over the incident.
"This is unacceptable, as there is no room for racism in the Council or in our country at large. I will investigate this unfortunate incident to find the culprit, and we will not hesitate to take serious action against any councillor who breaks the rules," promised Nyawose.
This week Gugu Sisilana, eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson said: “The investigation is still pending. The Speaker’s Office will issue an updated press statement once the matter has been concluded.