MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Impala Platinum Tragedy

Advertorial:
Impala Platinum Tragedy:

Dear Editor

The DA learned with horror and sadness of the accident which, at the time of writing, had cost 11 lives and caused 75 injuries at 11 Shaft at Impala’s Rustenburg mines. South Africans have not seen a mine accident of this shocking dimension for many months. Our thoughts go out to the families, friends, and workmates of all those involved.

The 200m fall of a hoist carrying people apparently resulted from a broken cable. This is highly unusual and requires an urgent and thorough investigation. We trust it will receive the attention it requires from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

The results of the investigation into what caused this tragedy need to be made public so that if there has been negligence, then those responsible are held to account, and steps can be taken so that an incident of this nature never happens again.

Mining can be a high-risk occupation and too often South Africans forget the debt we owe to the hard work and courage of those who work in our mining industry.

Regards

James Lorimer
DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources

– MyZA

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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.