Like all immigrants internationally, their initial priority was to make a living. For most waves of immigration to South Africa this was the least of their concerns as they were part of an organised importation scheme; the Indians in Natal to the sugar cane fields, the Chinese to the underground gold mines on the Witwatersrand and the English Settlers to the Eastern Cape border regions. The Chinese in Port Elizabeth were an exception to that rule. Being overwhelmingly single and without a family they probably initially relied upon the settled Chinese to survive. In a strange land with little understanding of English, they resorted to the time honoured tradition in order to overcome communication barriers viz sign language

Main picture: Chinese general dealers store in Dassiekraal circa 1920

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