MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

SA artists partake in Dubai Expo 2020

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. SA artists partake in Dubai Expo 2020: The Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture will participate in the Dubai EXPO2020 that is underway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. South Africa: Advancing women’s economic empowerment key to equality: President Cyril Ramaphosa says the economic empowerment of women will bring the country closer to its Constitutional aspiration of meaningful equality between men and women. The President was … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. City of Joburg ‘in negotiations’ to take over Soweto power supply: Soweto residents have been experiencing constant power cuts as the power utility tries to compel them to pay their bills. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Nearly 3 months after July riots, SA still in dark over true cause of violence: Three months after the looters went on the rampage damaging infrastructure, disrupting food production and threatening water security, only seven suspected instigators have been arrested. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. Another SA mayor dies in car crash: NATIONAL NEWS – Another South African mayor has died from a fatal car accident, just weeks after the crash that claim the life of City of Johannesburg mayor Jolidee Matongo. The latest victim, Naledi … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Carlon Centre (located in the city’s CBD) is the tallest office building in Africa: The building was completed in 1973. It has 50 floors and is 224 metres tall. It’s not the tallest structure in Johannesburg though. The Hillbrow Tower (also located in the CBD) stands 269m tall.

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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.