Durban — The Indian community in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the announcement that an 1860 Indian Indentured Workers monument will finally be built.
The erection of the long-awaited monument was announced by Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni when she delivered her budget speech in the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.
The MEC said the monument would be built near uShaka Marine on the South Beach promenade in Durban and take about eight months to complete. The statue was expected to cost R4 million and construction will be overseen by the Arts and Culture Department under MEC Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba.
Welcoming the news, Selvan Naidoo, head of the 1860 Heritage Centre, said the Indian community was “ecstatic” about the news that the monument would at last be built.
“We are ecstatic that the monument is finally being built as we commemorate 30 years of democracy. The monument symbolises and acknowledges the rich contributions of Indian indentured workers in the building of the nation of South Africa.
“This acknowledgement in the 30th year of South Africa’s democracy is a testament to our constitutional democracy that acknowledges the various contributions from our diverse society towards the shaping of our South African economic, political and cultural identity,” Naidoo said.
Naidoo and his 1860 committee have been calling for the monument for some time. In 2022, assisted by Kiru Naidoo and others, Selvan wrote and launched a book titled 1860 Heritage Book with rare pictures of the arrival of the SS Truro vessel from Madras in India carrying Indian workers who were wanted by the Natal colony rulers to work in the sugar cane fields.
The total budget for the province was now R150.7 billion, which increased from R146bn last year. As was expected, Education got the biggest chunk with the allocation of R63bn. The money will cater to 5 785 public ordinary schools with 2 651 922 pupils, 75 public special schools with 21 286 learners, as well as 119 independent schools with 31 018 learners.
The budget also provides for the school security programme, among others. The department will commence planning for the 2025 school year in April 2024 to determine the requirements for various schools.
Procurement will be based on in-year school surveys to determine the learner numbers for the 2025 school year, as well as requisitions in consultation with schools. The MEC also said logistical infrastructure and contracts are in place to manage the supply of textbooks and stationery for 2025.
The school nutrition budget was also increased to R2.2bn. The programme feeds more than 2 million pupils in quintiles 1 to 3, including some quintile 4 and 5 schools, as well as special schools.
The Health Department, which always receives a big chunk, scored R53bn, followed by the Transport Department with R13bn.
Social Development received a budget of R3.4bn while Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs was handed R3.5bn.
Agriculture and Rural Development was given R2.6bn while Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs received R1.8bn. Part of the budget will be used to pay 3 077 Izinduna (headmen).
The Office of the Premier, which manages the Royal Household, an entity which the king and royal family matters fall under, was given R784.2m.
The premier will also announce the king’s allocation from this budget. During the State of the Province Address last week, she announced that the provincial government will build the new king’s palace in Nongoma.
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Daily News