MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Spiderman is SA’s favourite Halloween costume this year and the world’s most popular dress-up choice – survey

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. Spiderman is SA’s favourite Halloween costume this year and the world’s most popular dress-up choice – survey: Johannesburg – As South Africans and the rest of the world gear up for this weekend’s Halloween festivities, an international study found that Spider-Man is the most popular costume on the globe. The … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Shwashwi: Lee Thompson turned down ‘7 figure offer’ to stop snitching: Johannesburg – Lee Thompson, the former star of The Bachelor South Africa said he was made a “7 figure offer” to stop the release of his book ‘The Truth Behind The Rose’. In an Instagram … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Memorials created across globe to remember millions who have died in pandemic: And in South Africa, blue and white ribbons are tied to a fence at the St James Presbyterian Church in Bedford Gardens, east of Johannesburg, to remember the country’s 89,000 dead: each blue ribbon … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Officers deployed to voting stations to maintain law and order: JMPD: Officers from the Johannesburg Metro Police Department have been deployed to voting stations across the city to maintain law and order. This is as polling stations opened on Saturday morning for those … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. What a loaded week – tattoos, controversy and priceless dancefloor moments!: We got to the middle of the week all the way in Johannesburg broadcasting from our sister station. SA Cricket player, Quinton de Kock, was trending following his refusal to ‘take the knee’ – something … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Soweto Uprising was a series of protests led by high school students in South Africa that began on the morning of 16 June 1976. Students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools. It is estimated that 20,000 students took part in the protests. The number of protesters killed by police was officially given as 176, but estimates of up to 700 have been made. In remembrance of these events, the 16th of June is now a public holiday in South Africa. A thirteen year old Black boy, Hector Pieterson, is the iconic first victim of police brutality, but Dr Melville Edelstein, who had devoted his life to social welfare among blacks, was soon forgotten. He was stoned to death by the mob and left with a sign around his neck proclaiming “Beware Afrikaners”.

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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.