MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Rapper AKA is not backing off from battle for ‘The Braai Show’

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. Rapper AKA is not backing off from battle for ‘The Braai Show’: While the braai show is airing tonight AKA has released a statement citing that he is going to fight for what belongs to him. The Fela in … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Informal Waste Reclaimers Receive World Wildlife Fund Award: Informal waste reclaimers have received a World Wildlife Fund, but the African Reclaimers Organisation says they have still not been integrated into the City of Johannesburg’s waste management plan. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Get your daily fix at these new bakery hotspots: While longstanding and popular bakeries continue to serve consistent freshness, it’s exciting to be able to experience what new kids on the block have to offer, especially in these difficult pandemic … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. ODI Series summary: Proteas remain alarmingly inconsistent: The Proteas men’s team remains inconsistent in all formats currently, and that mist be a concern heading into a summer that features a T20 World Cup and a series against the world’s best Test team. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. Canada opens borders to South Africans: The country is accepting South Africans who are fully vaccinated. Canada has become the latest country to ease restrictions. Heavy limitations remain for South Africans wanting to go to the US or the … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

Click here to submit your Johannesburg, Gauteng News – free.

Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? Where Johannesburg got it’s name from: The fledgling town of Johannesburg was laid out on a triangular wedge of “uitvalgrond” (area excluded when the farms were surveyed) named Randjeslaagte, situated between the farms Doornfontein to the east, Braamfontein to the west and Turffontein to the south. The property belonged to the government. The Surveyor-General of the ZAR issued an instruction that the farm be surveyed as a township, consisting of 600 stands measuring fifty feet by fifty feet. The first auction of stands took place on 8 December 1886. The settlement was named after two officials of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR), Christiaan Johannes Joubert and Johannes Rissik, who both worked in land surveying and mapping. The two men combined the name they shared, adding ‘burg’, the archaic Afrikaans word for ‘fortified city’.

Category: Tag: , , , , , ,

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.