UNEARTHING BURIAL GROUND

A genealogical research trip has unearthed a burial ground for indentured Indian labourers, on land which is part of the new King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal. Retired Tongaat teacher Tholsi MUDLY and her uncle, Arumogam (Billy) GOVENDER, made the discovery on Inyaninga Estate while trying to trace the graves of her grandparents and great-grandmother. Today the land is co-owned by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and Dube Tradeport, and was bought from sugar company Tongaat-Hulett. It is believed that about 50 indentured labourers are buried there. Tholsi's family graves are marked with iron rods as there were no tombstones. Her great-grandmother came to South Africa in 1898. Tongaat-Hulett was originally based in Tongaat, and was founded in 1892 by Sir Liege HULETT.

LEARNING CHANCE WASTED

Prof. Alan MORRIS, professor of human biology at UCT's Medical School, along with his postgraduate students, was not allowed to examine human remains removed from the former Prestwich Street cemetery site in Green Point. He believes that this was due to heritage authorities bowing to political pressure from activists. This was despite a call from the SA Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) for human biologists and other specialists to become involved in the project, after human bones were found during a Prestwich Street construction project in 2003. The site was later identified as one of Cape Town's 18th century cemeteries. During archaeological excavations more than 1200 skeletons were found. It is believed that those buried there were mostly slaves, free blacks and sailors.