The first Indian people, 197 men, 89 women and 54 children, arrive in Natal

The first Indian people in South Africa are reported to have arrived on board the Truro from Madras to work in the sugar cane plantation in Port-Natal. The group was made up of 197 men, 89 women and 59 children. They were indentured labours. The reason the Dutch imported labour is because the black Africans were unwilling to work for them. Most Indian people returned to India at the end of their term, but a few others stayed behind. Those that stayed quickly established themselves as Industrial and railway worker, clerks and interpreters. Today The City of Durban in Kwazulu-Natal  has the highest population of Indian people outside of India.