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South Africa: Sibongile Khumalo, the Transformative Singer Who Built an Archive of South African Classics | MyJHB.co.za

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. South Africa: Sibongile Khumalo, the Transformative Singer Who Built an Archive of South African Classics: Analysis – South African singer Sibongile Khumalo (1957-2021) was born into a dynasty of musicians. Her grandfather was a maskandi artist. This is a popular form derived from indigenous Zulu music … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. SA businesses get behind the government’s vaccination plan: The South African business sector has thrown its weight behind the government’s multibillion-rand programme to fund the acquisition of life-saving Covid-19 vaccines. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Keshav Maharaj strikes early for Proteas on turning Rawalpindi track: JOHANNESBURG – Keshav Maharaj picked up two wickets as South Africa claimed the spoils in the opening session of the second Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday. South Africa’s left-arm spinner, found … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. The Africans in exile who live in fear of transnational repression: In a new report, Out of Sight, Not Out of Reach, Freedom House catalogued 608 incidents of physical, direct transnational repression since 2014. Of 31 perpetrator governments, six are in sub-Saharan … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. DA questions suggested implementation of AARTO: The Johannesburg branch of the DA has questioned the Transport Department’s urgent push for the immediate implementation of AARTO, supposedly due to mounting calls from South Africans. The Democratic … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Rand Club of Johannesburg is the oldest private members’ club in Johannesburg, South Africa, and founded in October 1887. The plan for the current, third, clubhouse was put on paper in 1902 and its construction was finished in 1904 on the design by architects Leck & Emley in the Edwardian neo-baroque style.

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The Oriental Plaza: A Phoenix in Fordsburg

If Johannesburg is a city of forced displacements, the Oriental Plaza is its most resilient response. While the Rand Club was built for the elite and Ponte for the “jet-set,” the Oriental Plaza was born from the trauma of the Group Areas Act—a piece of Apartheid legislation designed to geographically separate the races. Yet, in true Johannesburg fashion, what was intended as a tool of containment and financial ruin for the Indian community transformed into one of the most vibrant, independent commercial powerhouses in the country.

The story of the Plaza begins with the destruction of Pageview, affectionately known as Fietas. In the mid-20th century, Fietas was a legendary multicultural hub, centered around the bustling 14th Street. It was the city’s premier destination for textiles, clothing, and spices, where shoppers of all races would rub shoulders in a “jazzy, soulful” atmosphere. However, because Fietas was located so close to the white-only city center, the Apartheid government declared it a “white area” in 1962. The community fought back for decades, but by the 1970s, the bulldozers arrived. Homes were leveled, and the thriving traders of 14th Street were forcibly relocated to a purpose-built, modernist complex a kilometer away in Fordsburg: the Oriental Plaza.

The government’s intent was cynical: by moving the traders into a controlled environment with high state-mandated rents and strict rules on what could be sold, they hoped to break the back of Indian commercial dominance. The early years were devastating; many businesses folded, and the “Grand Bazaar” felt like a sterile warehouse compared to the street-level energy of Fietas. However, the traders refused to vanish. They eventually won the right to purchase their own shops, making the Oriental Plaza unique among South African malls because it is owned by the shopkeepers themselves rather than a corporate landlord. This ownership model changed everything. Without the burden of massive monthly mall rentals, the 360+ independent stores can offer prices that national retailers cannot touch, turning the Plaza into a “bargain-hunter’s paradise” that draws millions of visitors a year.