About SA Indian Routes

Between 1860 and 1911, more than 150,000 Indians arrived in the British colony of Natal (now the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa) as indentured laborers. This migration was part of a larger system of indentured labor that moved millions of workers from India to British colonies around the world.

The first ship, the SS Truro, arrived in Durban on November 16, 1860, carrying 342 passengers from Madras. Over the next 51 years, approximately 384 ships would make similar voyages, bringing workers who would fundamentally shape South African society.

These men, women, and children came from various regions of India — primarily from the Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi-speaking areas. They left their homes seeking opportunity, escaping famine, or in some cases, were recruited under misleading promises. Their contracts typically bound them for five years, after which they could either return to India (at their own expense) or stay in South Africa.

Most chose to stay, and their descendants today form the largest Indian diaspora community in Africa. The Indian South African community has made immeasurable contributions to the country's culture, economy, and politics — including producing leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, who began his activism in South Africa, and Ahmed Kathrada, who fought alongside Nelson Mandela against apartheid.

The indenture system was a form of contractual labor that replaced slavery in many British colonies after the abolition of the slave trade. Workers signed contracts (indentures) that bound them to work for a specific employer for a set period, typically five years.

In exchange, they received passage to the colony, housing, food, medical care, and a small wage. However, conditions were often harsh. Workers faced long hours in sugar plantations, limited freedom of movement, and were subject to strict penalties for breaking their contracts.

After completing their indenture, workers had three choices:

• Return to India (passage was free only after 10 years of service)
• Re-indenture for another term
• Stay as free workers in the colony

The majority chose to stay, establishing businesses, farms, and communities that would become the foundation of the Indian South African population.

This database contains records of 152,184 Indian indentured laborers who arrived in South Africa between 1860 and 1911. Each record includes:

The records also include information about what happened to each person after their indenture — whether they returned to India, passed away in South Africa, or remained in the colony as free citizens.

The data in this database comes from the Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre (GLDC) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The GLDC has been instrumental in preserving and digitizing historical records related to the Indian community in South Africa.

The original ship lists were compiled from immigration records, protector of immigrants reports, and other colonial documents. The GLDC has made these records freely available to help descendants trace their family history.

Each passenger record contains all available information from the original ship manifests and immigration documents. Some fields may be empty — records from this period were often incomplete due to the documentation practices of the time.

Name variations: Names were transcribed by British officials who may not have been familiar with Indian languages. The same person might appear with different spellings in different records.

Family connections: The "Related links" field indicates family members or other passengers who traveled together. This can help trace entire family groups.

Status after indenture: Where available, records show whether the person returned to India, remained in South Africa as a free citizen, or passed away during or after their indenture period.

For those interested in learning more about the history of Indian indentured labor in South Africa, the following resources are recommended:

• Inside Indenture: A South African Story, 1860-1914 by Ashwin Desai and Goolam Vahed
• The Making of an Indian Community in Natal by Surendra Bhana
• Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre research papers and archives

SA Indian Routes was developed by Pluribus Tech® to help preserve and make accessible the historical records of Indian indentured laborers.

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