150 Years of Indians in South Africa
Being acutely aware of the need to record and document our history and culture, the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) and Muslim Vision 2020 have commissioned a series of books documenting the varied and rich history of ISLAM and Muslims in South Africa and our contribution to this country. We envisage putting all of the information on a website too.
Our vision is to collaborate with all Muslims throughout the country and so that we don’t duplicate but rather produce a seminal series of books that is inclusive of all our people and history.
2010 marks the 150 year anniversary of the arrival of the first Indians in South Africa, many of whom were Muslim. The South African Indian community (including the Muslim community) will hold a series of events and programmes during 2010 to commemorate the past and present, and present our vision for the future.
To coincide with this commemoration the first book of the proposed series will document the history of Indian Muslims.
A committee to oversee this project has been formed and we invite interested parties to join relevant subcommittees, including but not limited to: fund raising, editorial committee (presently chaired by Hassim Seedat), research and marketing.
Professors Suleman Dangor and Goolam Vahed are heading the project but all historians/authors/academics are invited to join and contribute.
We appeal to the Muslim public to widely publicize and support this project and to start documenting your history and to submit this history to us, especially photographic and official documentary records and correspondence with family members in India.
For more information, please write to SAMNET at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call our offices at 0318269786.