MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

WATCH LIVE: Molefe continues Transnet-related evidence at state capture inquiry

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. WATCH LIVE: Molefe continues Transnet-related evidence at state capture inquiry: On Monday, he told the commission that the first he knew that he was being considered for the Transnet CEO position was when a recruitment agency called him to submit his CV. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Partnering to train 3,000 software developers in Gauteng and drive youth employability: Microsoft and the Gauteng Department of e-Government have partnered to implement the Gauteng Azure Training programme in collaboration with Andela and Geekulcha. The partnership aims to upskill … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Pay e-tolls or your licence discs won’t be renewed, warns Sanral: A row over e-tolls erupted following a notice by Sanral that motorists won’t get their licence discs renewed until they pay up. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. South Africa’s Eskom board to investigate allegation of racism against CEO: South Africa’s struggling state utility Eskom said on Tuesday that its board of directors would investigate an allegation of racism levelled against Chief Executive Andre de Ruyter. De Ruyter has been … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. AmaZulu coach McCarthy questions Ntseki’s Bafana selections: AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy says that there are players from his former team Cape Town City as well as Swallows FC who were unlucky not to be selected in the latest Bafana Bafana squad. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Whale and Dolphin Watching in Algoa Bay?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? A census was conducted in January 1896 recorded that Johannesburg then had 102 078 inhabitants, of whom 61 292 lived within the three mile radius of Market Square and 40 786 outside. There were 50 907 Europeans or Whites, 952 Malays, 4 807 Asiatics, 2 879 mixed or other races and 42 533 Natives of whom 14 195 lived within the three mile radius and 28 838 outside. Of the 24 489 Whites born in Europe, 12 389 were from England and Wales, 997 from Ireland and 2 879 from Scotland. Of the 24 500 Europeans born in Africa, 6 205 were born in the Transvaal and 15 162 in the Cape Colony. New suburbs included: Klipfontein, Forest Town, Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville, Bellevue, Houghton, Vrededorp, Paarl’s Hoop, Robinson, Ophirton, La Rochelle, Rosettenville, Klipriviersberg, City & Suburban, Doornfontein, Bertrams, Lorentzville and Troyeville. It was also recorded that there was a Malay Camp, Brickfields, a Coolie Location and a Kafir Location. Kliptown is the oldest Black residential district of Johannesburg and was first laid out in 1891 on land which formed part of Klipspruit farm.

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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.