The
history of the Greek pioneers in Durban is a history of struggles for
survival and individual or group achievement. The first recorded presence
of Greeks in Natal was before the Anglo-Boer War. The pioneer immigrants
were mainly men from many regions of Greece. For example P. Agathangelou
(P. Angelos) who arrived in 1898 was from Paphos, Cyprus. C. Defterios
who arrived in 1901 was from Sami. T. Calliotzis who arrive in 1903 was
from Smyrna; C. Metaxas who arrived in 1902 was from Cephallonia as was
I. Marinakis who arrived in 1900. D. Grangos who arrived in 1897 was from
Ithica and V. Christoforos who arrived in 1902 from Lemnos. Alexandros
Bozas was from Dardanellia in Asia Minor and A. Rakakidis who arrived
in 1894 was from Lemons. Constantine Fostiras was in Chakas Kraal together
with B. Mendonidis who was from Ofrynio (Hios).
These and several others established a benevolent association called Hellenic Association of Natal in order to look after newcomers and tend to the sick and needy It president for many years was S. Metaxas.
As immigration patterns developed, new families arrived to the city like G. Defterios, B. Doukas, S. Theodorou, S. Koustas, C. Rahanis, A. Flaskas and others. Most of them were involved in the running of café shops, general dealer stores and bakeries. Some of them became owners of buildings and plots of land.
During the national struggles, especially against fascism (1940-1945), the Greeks in Durban actively participated in both the battlefields and in the diaspora, with the collection of funds and visits to those wounded. After the war the new immigration waves to South Africa from Greece saw many newcomers to Durban, most prominent among these persons were the Criticos brothers, M. Apouselam, G. Goulakos, D. Syrris, Ch. Pampalis and many others. After the war there was a concerted effort to revitalise the community structures, initiated by amongst others D. Tsambiras, S. Couvaras, C. Adamou, Th. Sipsomors, Fostiras and others.
Aris Kosmas arrived in Durban from India in 1947 together with Sypsomos, who was the brother of the Greek poet, Lambros Porfyris. Aris Kosmas was the leader who galvanised the community for the birth of legal entity and a community with a constitution and a school for the children to learn the Greek language. In 1950 all Greeks in the city and surrounding areas had the first annual general meeting of the proposed community and the Hellenic Association of Natal was established. The first executive committee consisted of Aris Kosmas (president) M. Apouselan and P. Pendopoulos (vice-presidents G. Goulakos (general secretary) Ch. Pampalis (treasurer) G. Comninos, D. Tsabiras, S. Tsakos, C. Colyvas, S. Couvaras, Th. Sipsomas, C. Adamou (members) These names appeared in a full report of the proceedings of the meeting in the Johannesburg newspaper, Afrikanis. (Unfortunately, the minute books and other written documents of that pioneer period do not exist in the archives of the Hellenic Association of Natal).