DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDIES

ZEALAND

6.1. DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDIES

The personal interviews in New Zealand consisted of nine sets of interviews with twelve respondents. All the respondents v.tere South African Indians above the age of twenty- seven. The personal interviews took place in July 2002. The photographs of the respondents are in Appendix C.

The first interview was with Mrs Ramasar. She is about sixty years old and does not 'M:>rk. She lives in McKittrick Avenue, East Tamaki, Howick, Auckland. She had just arrived in New Zealand and was in Auckland for almost four months. She was still in the process of unpacking her boxes of possessions that just arrived from South Africa. Her lounge suite, curtains, prayer lamps, photographs, kitchenware, etc v.tere from her home in South Africa. She arrived in New Zealand with her husband and son to join her

two

daughters who had left South Africa a couple of years ago. Asha, her daughter who is married immigrated to New Zealand four years ago and Sudira who is unmarried, emigrated

two

years ago. Mrs Ramasar also has twodaughters in Sydney, Australia. Her son, who was out looking for

employment, had already been to New Zealand for ten months on holiday and her husband had returned to South Africa to finalise some financial issues.

Mrs Ramasar and her family owned a sugar cane plantation in the South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She was on her own during the interview.

The second interview was with JUdy. Judy is about thirty something. Her husband Stan was not interviev.ed because he was at work. JUdy and Stan do not have any family in New Zealand. Stan is a car salesman and Judy is a nurse. Judy has

two

young daughters and lives in Wairau Road, Northshore, Auckland. Judy and Stan have been in New Zealand for almost four years.

She applied for a nursing position in Auckland, from South Africa and was successful.

The third interviewwas with Visa Singh. Visa is in her late forties. She is a remedial teacher. Her husband, Vinodh, who is also a teacher, was not keen on being interviewed. Visa made the decision to migrate to New Zealand in August 1996 and spent five months in New Zealand alone. While shewas in Auckland she lived with friends and began the process of applying for teaching positions.

She returned to New Zealand in January 1997 with her children and Vinodh joined his family in July 1998. Visa and her family live in DeQuincy Terrace, Highland Park, Howick. During the interview there were about ten other Indians (from Fiji and South Africa) was in Visa's home. Visa and her family have been in New Zealand for five years.

The fourth interviewwas with Sherine and Roger Madurai. They are in their thirties. Roger had been in New Zealand for about four months and Sherine had just arrived in New Zealand six weeks ago. In South Africa, Roger was a business analyst programmer for Telkom and Sherine was an accounts clerk, who was also involved in resolutions ticketing and consulting for Singapore Airlines.

They have

two

young children who are in primary school. Sherine and Roger have recently rented a three-bedroom house in Bleakhouse Road, Mellons Bay, Howick, Auckland. Their home is filled with their possessions from South Africa. The interviewwas conducted in their dining room.

The fifth interview was with Niri Singh. She is her mid-forties. Niri Singh and her family have been in New Zealand since 1998. In May 1997, Niri, her husband and her

two

teenage children came to New Zealand for one month on holiday. Niri's husband was in South Africa during the time of the interview.

They still own a business in South Africa and every year, Niri's husband returns to South Africa to evaluate the business. Niri and her family live in Dempsey Street, Remuera, Auckland. She is alone in her home and appeared to be very depressed. She cried a few times during the interview. Niri and her family have been in New Zealand for four years.

The sixth interview was with Doctor Pravedh Sewnarain. He is in his early fifties. Doctor Pravedh could only spare time for an interview in his surgery at Orly Avenue, Mangere, Auckland. He also resides with his family in HoVJick.

He and his family have been living in New Zealand for eight years and two months. His brother, sister and wife's sister also live in New Zealand, before he arrived there. Doctor Pravedh's wife is a primary school teacher and his children are fourteen and twelve years old. His surgery is situated in a

predominant Maori suburb. Most of his patients were young pregnant woman.

The seventh interview was with Joshna and Angela Naicker. Joshna is in her forties and Angela is in her sixties. Angela is Joshna's mother in law. Joshna is employed on a part time basis and scheduled the interview just before she could leave for work at two0' clock that afternoon. Her husband is a

mechanic. Angela has about ten other family members from South Africa living in different suburbs in Auckland. Joshna and her husband had three children in South Africa and Joshna accidentally fell pregnant in New Zealand with her son. Joshna and her family live with her mother in law in O'Halloran Road, Howick, Auckland. Not long after their arrival in New Zealand, Angela was diagnosed with leukaemia. The Naicker family lived in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. Joshna and her family have been in New Zealand for four years.

The eighth interview was with Viren Jagroo, at his office. Viren is in his forties.

He is an extremely busy man during the week and works on a tight time schedule. Viren has postgraduate qualifications and is working as an estate agent. His office is based in Pakuranga, but he lives in Howick.

Viren, his VJife and their two children have been in New Zealand for four years. They have family who live on the North Shore, but they are not in frequent contact. Viren's wife was teaching full time for the past four years in Auckland, but she teaches on a relief bases now. The interview, through Viren's consent exceeded the time frame, which Viren originally stipulated on.

Viren and his family have been in New Zealand for four years and one month.

The nineth interview was with Vinesh and Venessa Naidoo. Venessa is twenty-seven years old and Vinesh is thirty years old. Vinesh owns a

plumbing business, called Trench Plumbers and his wife works for him. After living in Howick for two years, they moved to Titirangi, in the Waitakeri. The Waitakeri area has more wilderness appeal than built up suburbs like Howick.

Vinesh and Venessa have a daughter and are planning their second child.

The interview was conducted in their home. This was the longest interview that I carried out. It took almost two hours. They have been in New Zealand for three and a half years.

All the interviewees are either citizens or in the process of applying for New Zealand citizenship.