IN AN INSPIRING story, Silverglen resident John Sahadeo, recalled recently how he bravely rescued nine crew members from the SS Wafra during a tragic incident at Cape Agulhas.

 Sahadeo, now, 79, said at the time he was the first Indian ship engineer in the 1960s.

He told how he jumped into the sea at Cape Agulhas to help rescue the crew from the SS Wafra, a ship which had been carrying oil, hit a reef and caused a massive oil spill at sea, 54 years ago.

He said he and his crew managed to save nine lives on February 29, 1971.

In a recent interview, Sahadeo reminisced about his years at sea and the SS Wafra tragedy, which claimed one life.

“I was in awe of the sea and oved my job. I was in the first batch of Indians trained as a marine engineer and I was proud of the work that I did.

“On the day the SS Wafra came into difficulty at sea, our vessel was nearby and lent assistance. Our crew members and I jumped into the lifeboat and made our way to rescue the crew from the SS Wafra. The sea was rough that night. Nine of the crew members came down the ladder and were able to safely board our lifeboat, but we watched helplessly as one of them was swept off the ladder and could not be found,” he added.

Sahadeo described the ship catastrophe as the most dangerous and scary experience he had experienced at sea in his almost 50-year long career.

He said he was blessed to have had mentors who guided him during his teenage years.

Sahadeo said while other Indians were being marginalised and side-lined during apartheid, he was taken aback by the kindness and generosity that some “white people” had shown him.

“My father was the sole supporter at home and when he passed on I was eight years old. My mother was illiterate and could not work to support us. We survived on a grant and could not even afford school fees.

“At the time, I was enrolled at ML Sultan Secondary. The principal, Mr Tholson, called me into the office one day to ask about the non-payment of my school fees. At the time, I was unable to afford the school uniform or shoes. My shoes were torn and I went to school with casual clothes.

“He asked me to bring my mother to school to discuss the payment of school fees. She could not speak English and Mr Tholson arranged for an interpreter. My mother was afraid of going to school. At the meeting she just said that she could not afford an education for me. What happened next was nothing short of amazing.

“The day after the meeting, Mr Tholson came to me with new school uniforms and shoes. He also had all the stationery and books I needed for the year. He arranged a bus ticket for me, which allowed me to travel to and from school. I had to take a ticket from the bus conductor and the school footed the bill.

“I was taken aback by Mr Tholson’s generosity and from then on, he took an active interest in my wellbeing and my education,” he added.

Sahadeo said when he was in matric, he was advised to take night classes to complete his studies and Mr Tholson arranged for him to work as a clerk at a Beacon Sweets.

 “I was grateful because having a job and studying at night allowed me to get an education and also support my mother and my siblings. I jumped at the opportunity and I was promised that after a year, I would get an apprenticeship. I was paid R9.23 per week.

“But after the year was up, I was told that I would not be able to get the apprenticeship because I was Indian. Although this was the case, my boss said he would increase my wages to R10 per week because I was an excellent worker.

“I was disappointed and discussed this with Mr Tholson. He promised that he would look out for a better job for me. After two weeks, Mr Tholson called me and told me to resign immediately as he had secured another job for me.

“I took the bus straight to him. He took us in his car to the Unicorn shipping line and he said I could work there without worrying about racism. He said I would be able to grow according to my skills and not be held back due to my skin colour.

“After the introductions, I was told that I needed to board the ship. I was nervous and worried that I had not notified my mother. When I met the captain, he said I should bring my mother for a tour of the ship so she would be at ease about me going to sea. My mother thought it was a small tug boat and she was afraid that it would sink and I would drown. But when I took her to the ship, she was amazed at how big it was. She said it was like a floating hotel. 

“My mother was taken on a tour  by the captain and lunch and tea was prepared for her. I was over the moon when I was told that my salary would be R140 per month and that I would  be paid overtime. The salary allowed me to take care of my siblings and my mother comfortably.

“I started as a marine engineering apprentice and became the first Indian marine engineer. I sailed aboard the Voorspeller, which was a cargo ship that carried sugar and soap to coastal areas. My 41-years at sea was like living a dream. When I turned 62, I had to retire from working aboard the ship and I was moved to a maritime centre, where I taught young students marine engineering. I retired when I was 65,” he said.

After his retirement, Sahadeo began drawing designs and manufacturing tables made of glass and wood. He sells his products at stalls in markets around Durban. 

The grandfather of three said he lived by the motto: “You can do anything you out your mind to”

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