An African City Where East Meets West

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN SOUTH AFRICA

WHAT a colorful sight it is to walk down a Durban street! You will see that many have adopted Western-style clothing, especially the youth. But note, too, the older Zulu ladies with their modest, long dresses and their heads adorned with colorful scarves. There are also Indian ladies dressed in saris or Punjabi dress and trousers. As you approach the beachfront, you will likely see some Zulu men in elaborate costumes pulling rickshas. Truly, Durban is a unique African city, where East meets West. What is the history of this fascinating city?

The South African city of Durban has been inhabited for less than two centuries. About 40 colonists of European descent settled here in 1824. At that time the powerful kingdom of the Zulus under Shaka, their warrior king, was centered to the north of Durban. Two decades later, Durban and the surrounding inland region were annexed by Britain. Several wars between the new colonists and the Zulus were fought during the 19th century.

Meanwhile, the English settlers found that sugarcane grew well in the coastal regions. To work their sugar plantations, they arranged for laborers to come from India, then another British colony. Between 1860 and 1911, over 150,000 Indians came to Durban. As a result, today the metropolitan area of Durban has a population of more than three million, made up of people from three distinct parts of the earth—indigenous Zulus, Asians from India, and people of British and western European descent.

The city has other interesting features. As can be seen in the accompanying photo, it  has a natural harbor shielded from the Indian Ocean by a long finger of land called the Bluff. This attractive landmark is over 300 feet [90 m] high and is covered with vegetation. Every day large ships pass into this naturally sheltered harbor. The book Discovery Guide to Southern Africa explains that Durban has “the largest and busiest harbour in Africa, ranked ninth in the world.” Vacationers are drawn to Durban’s fine beaches and enjoy its warm waters. There are ideal places for surfing, and bathers may take comfort in the safety provided by well-maintained shark nets.

Lovers of the Bible have an added reason for interest in the city. The Bible Students, as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then known, set up a branch office here in 1910. Then, in April 1914, the first convention in Africa of the Bible Students was held in Durban. Some 50 people were in attendance, including delegates from distant parts of South Africa. At that historic convention, 16 new worshipers were baptized. A number of those in attendance were anointed Christians who proved faithful to death, including William W. Johnston, who was the first to manage a branch office in Africa.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have arranged many other conventions in Durban since 1914. In December 2000, some 14,848 attended the two “Doers of God’s Word” conventions held in the city, and 278 new ones were baptized. Consider one of the many Indian families in attendance. Ten years ago the father, Alan, was introduced to Bible truth by his daughter, Somashini. Alan was recovering from alcoholism and was searching for a purpose in life. Somashini, who was then only three years old, brought her father a book that she had found in a neighbor’s house. Its title, True Peace and Security—How Can You Find It?, immediately appealed to Alan. He enjoyed what he read and began associating with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Because of what he learned from the Bible, Alan legalized his marriage. Soon his wife, Rani, became interested and began attending the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses too. At that time the couple were living with Rani’s parents, who belong to one of Christendom’s churches. The parents opposed the young couple’s newfound religion and gave them an ultimatum: “Either leave the Witnesses or get out of our house!”

Alan and Rani decided to leave, although accommodations were hard to find. Friends among Jehovah’s Witnesses helped them to find a suitable place to live. In 1992, Alan and Rani were baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses. They continued to make progress, and today Alan serves as an elder in the Christian congregation.

There are more than 50 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Durban metropolitan area. Most of them are made up of Zulus. However, some congregations, especially near the center of the city, are made up of Zulus, Indians, and people of European descent. If you pay a visit to one of these meetings, you will see much more than East meeting West. Perhaps a smartly dressed African Witness will be presiding or an Indian Witness or a Witness of European descent. But one thing is sure: In the audience you will see living proof that the Bible has the power to unite people of all nations in warm and lasting friendship.

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Congregation meetings bring people of all races together

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Alan, Rani, and their children

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Durban’s city hall

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Photos: Courtesy Gonsul Pillay