MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

COVID-19 in SA: Death toll surpasses 43,000 | MyJHB.co.za

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. COVID-19 in SA: Death toll surpasses 43,000: Just over 7,000 people have been infected with COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases to over 122,000. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Donors back tech over aid to feed hungry world: Food donors want to deliver cutting-edge technology to poor farmers in place of aid in a bid to cut waste, preserve precious land – and make themselves redundant. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. South African trial of Novavax vaccine seen to be 60% effective, says head of trial: South Africa’s mid-stage trial of U.S.-based biotech company Novavax Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine has shown it to be 60% effective for non-HIV individuals, the principal investigator of the study said late … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Declassified recorded talk with Carter Page shows denials concealed from FISA Court: Newly declassified records detail the FBI’s plans to surveil Carter Page and show that the Trump campaign associate’s secretly recorded denials of allegations made in British ex-spy Christopher Steele … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. Psychology Today: I’ve been reading quite a bit (2 articles so far) about ethical issues in tele-therapy: psychotherapy via phone, internet, etc. The prevailing wisdom is that the same ethical principles apply to both … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? Even though Johannesburg is well over 120 years old (founded on 4 October 1886 during the gold rush), it is still one of the youngest major cities in the world.

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Sophiatown: The Lost “Paris of the Transvaal”

Sophiatown’s golden age was the 1940s and 50s. It was a dense, vibrant, and often dangerous neighborhood, characterized by “backyard” rooms, shebeens (illegal speakeasies), and a sophisticated social scene. It was the birthplace of Kwaito’s ancestors and the legendary “Marabi” music—a blend of traditional African rhythms and American ragtime. The streets were home to the most iconic figures of African literature and music: Miriam Makeba found her voice here; Hugh Masekela received his first trumpet from a local priest; and the writers of Drum magazine, like Can Themba and Bloke Modisane, used the neighborhood as their muse. They dressed in Fedora hats and double-breasted suits, channeling the style of Hollywood gangsters and Harlem intellectuals, creating a world that was cosmopolitain, intellectual, and radically multi-racial.

However, the “Bohemia” of Sophiatown was an existential threat to the National Party’s vision of total racial separation. The government viewed it as a “black spot” in a white area. In 1955, the state launched Western Areas Removal Scheme. On the morning of February 9th, 2,000 heavily armed police officers moved in, forcing families into trucks at gunpoint. They were relocated to the newly established matchbox houses of the South Western Townships (Soweto), 20 kilometers away. The resistance was led by figures like Trevor Huddleston, the Anglican priest whose church, St. Joseph’s, still stands today. Despite the slogan “Ons dak nie, ons pola hier” (We are not moving, we are staying here), the bulldozers were relentless.