MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

The complete list of things to do with kids in Johannesburg

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. The complete list of things to do with kids in Johannesburg: If you are wondering about what to do in Johannesburg, the city has so many exciting and fun-filled places. Maybe you try out these places for the … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. Jonas Rathsman and Ryan Murgatroyd in The Lab Johannesburg: On Wednesday, May 22, The Lab Johannesburg will showcase a pair of the industry's leading house talents. Mixmag favorite Jonas Rathsman will … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. Struggle icon Ahmed Kathrada honoured with a life-sized statue: JOHANNESBURG – Anti-Apartheid activist, Ahmed Kathrada was on Friday described by many as a person who always sacrificed so much for others … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada honoured with life-sized statue: … former Robben Island inmate and struggle icon Ahmed Kathrada on Thursday at the Cradle of Humankind in Magaliesburg, west of Johannesburg. – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  5. S.Africa's rand slips to 1-week low, financial stocks drag down bourse: JOHANNESBURG, May 17 (Reuters) – The South African rand slipped to its weakest in one week on Friday as escalating trade tensions between … – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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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.