ABSTRACT

Racism towards the Indian migrant population dates back to 1860 when they first arrived in South Africa to work as laborers in the sugar-cane fields. The University of Durban-Westville (UDW), located in Westville, Natal was established in 1972 to accommodate primarily Indian students. The outpouring of patriotism and a sense of national pride by both the performers and South Africans in the audience was overwhelming during the singing of the contemporary South African national anthem. According to the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) official website, this organization "challenged the legitimacy of ethnic education departments and made an important contribution to the struggle for non-racialism in South Africa. Nationalism and patriotism then may be indicators of strength within a country when that strength is harnessed in an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding, and when that strength represents the plurality and diversity of its peoples.