Chapter 28 - Conclusion

One final thought I would like to leave with you is that if you are going to reach your goal, you must have self-determination and perseverance.
Initially, I was an ordinary girl raised and brought up in a squalor ghetto area of Alexandra Township. In spite of the hardship I experienced, there was overcrowding with nine siblings in a two-roomed house, I managed and pulled through! I still remember going to school at Immaculata High School (Roman Catholic Mission) alone. At the yard where I was staying, the majority of my friends were not interested.

Looking back to where I came from, I can only thank God for fighting my battles for me!

Born in a Christian family, my paternal grandfather was a lay preacher of the Presbyterian faith in a small village in Pietersburg known as Ga-Mothapo. He was very strict and regularly conducted night prayer sessions. If you went to bed earlier before the night prayer, my grandfather would blame my grandmother for letting us go to bed before having our prayer session. He was a typical, staunch member of the Presbyterian Church.

The blessings of the Almighty followed me through. One day, whilst attending to patients in one of the consulting rooms in a clinic in Diepkloof, Johannesburg, my old friend whom I used to play with in Alexandra came in and was shocked to see me as a nurse. She had brought her baby for consultation, and I was to attend to her. She could not believe her eyes. I think this is a true-life lesson to all young people: that you must never look down on yourself and other people! Learn from Joseph in the Holy Bible; that although his brothers sold him, later in life he was the one who fed them during the days of famine. If you use your mind positively, God will do amazing things for you, and you will live the abundantly faith-filled life.

I have never dreamed of becoming a nurse ever! Growing up, I was very scared of blood and wounds. If I saw a bleeding person, I would quickly run into the house and hide myself whilst living in Alexandra Township. I did not have any objectives about my life, but through the grace of God, I saw my life changing dramatically for the better! Knowldgewise, not material gain or wealth.

It was also during the apartheid government era with many restrictions towards the black people, but through endurance and determination. One emerged to be a better person! Seeing yourself as a community health nurse in the biggest hospital in Africa (Chris Hani Baragwanath) from the dusty streets and ghetto life of Alexandra Township! Just a quiet and humble person.

    All thanks to the one and only Almighty God!

To read more on the inspiring story of Rose's life surviving the apartheid era; buy the whole book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Rose as a Student Nurse.

THE END

Chapter 27 - The Forced Removal to Diepkloof

During 1961, the government of the day was busy forcing people to go to Meadowlands.
The policemen were busy, and if they came across the breadwinner, they demanded his dompas.
Then without any explanation, the dompas was stamped that by a certain date, one will cease to be a resident of Alexandra Township again.
And if found there after, you will be arrested for being in Alexandra without a permit.
Many Alexandra residents were against the removal. Most of us enjoyed the life in Alexandra. In Alexandra, we stayed as brothers and sisters irrespective of ethnicity.
The government encouraged people to come forward voluntarily. Some went to enrol for the removal. The first load was transported to Meadowlands. The big municipal trucks were used to transport residents to Meadowlands. A song was even written about the way people were resisting to go. The song went like this:

Otla utloa Makgoa are, areyeng ko Meadowlands (x2)

Meadowlands, Meadowlands, Meadowlands, sithandwa sam!

This song became a hit. Spokes Mashiane and friends used their flutes to sing it. 

The community of Alexandra were powerless because policemen used guns to force people to go. My uncle, aunt, their children, and my cousin Christina left voluntarily for Meadowlands Zone 7.

We were left behind, but we were happy in Alexandra. My father was lucky in many occasions because he managed to evade the policemen.

One day in November 1960, whilst my father was from work, he met the evil policemen. He tried to resist, but...

To find out how the clash between Rose's father and the police ended; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Rose and her sister, Louisa, and two brothers, Job and Johannes
in Diepkloof, Zone 4. Johannes is standing at the back.

Chapter 26 - The Ten Children Living Together

I used to sleep with my five sisters. My four brothers slept together. The bedroom had a wardrobe and my parents' bed. The wardrobe had a big mirror. One day, as we were sitting together outside the house, we heard a loud bang inside the house. We rushed inside the house. We found a scared Simon and a broken mirror. We asked what happened. He said he was trying to test his strength, so he sat on our parents' bed and tried to push the wardrobe with his legs. The wardrobe fell and the mirror broke. My father was speechless.
One day, my mother sent me to buy sour milk at a nearby farm. I went with my cousin Christina because she was also going to buy sour milk for her family. We used to eat porridge with sour milk. On our way to the farm, we were playing. When we arrived at Sandown, the farm, we realized that we lost all the money for the milk. My mother had given me twenty pence for two litres of sour milk, and I had lost all the money. We went back using the same route and looked for the money but did not find anything. It was becoming late and dark...

To find out what Rose did after she lost the money; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

My younger brother, Mapela Simon Rakoma.
Simon once broke the wardrobe.

Chapter 25 - Working in Westbury

Sometime later, my father got a job as a printing machine maintenance person. We were all happy because it meant a regular salary. The factory where he used to work, Amalgamated Packing Industry, was in Westbury. Westbury used to be far from Alexandra. In order to get there, he had to board a bus to Johannesburg and then take a train to Westbury. He used to come back home at night. It used to be worse in winter because he left when it was dark and came back when it was dark. We used to worry about him.
Alexandra Township did not have any electricity, and it was known as the Dark City. We used to use candles for light. Coal braziers were used for cooking. Alexandra was crime ridden. There were lots of gangsters. That is why we feared for my father.

My father was happy about his new job. He was well paid. He worked Mondays to Fridays and was paid weekly. On weekends, he would take me to town. My father was very fond of me. People used to say that...

To find out what people used to say about Rose; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 24 - Albert Coming to Alexandra

Sometime later, my mother went to Pietersburg for a funeral. My mother with a few relatives hired a van to transport them to Pietersburg. She came back from the funeral with my cousin Albert. Albert had passed his Standard 6, but due to a lack of funds, he could not further his studies.
His single mother earned a small salary as a domestic worker. He came to Alexandra to look for work. The other reason for his coming to stay with us was that he had become mischievous.

Albert used to live with my grandparents in Pietersburg. He used to steal money from them to buy dagga and tobacco. There was a time when he stole money that my father had given to my grandfather. The money was intended to be used to buy cattle. My grandfather hid the money in the house, but Albert saw where the money was hid. He stole the money to buy tobacco and dagga.

My mother arranged for him to get an identity document (ID). As Albert's father was an Indian, Albert could get an ID instead of a dompas. Mrs Thekiso, my mother's coloured friend, took Albert to the pass office to get him an ID. She had agreed that she would lie to the officials and say that Albert ...


To read more on what Mrs Thekiso lied to the officials about concerning Albert; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 23 - Dompas Problem

In 1960, my brother Job came to Alexandra from Pietersburg. Job lived with my grandparents in a village in Pietersburg. When he came to stay with us in Alexandra, the family could finally be all together.

Job struggled to pass Standard 6 in Alexandra. This did not come as a surprise as he barely managed to pass Standard 5. He failed Standard 6 so many times that he finally gave up and started looking for a job. It was not easy for him to get a job because he was not born in Alexandra. In those days, the law prohibited anyone from outside Johannesburg to get a job in Alexandra.

My brother only had a baptismal certificate from Pietersburg. My mother accompanied him to the pass office to try and get him a dompas. At the pass office, he was told to go back to Pietersburg. My mother pleaded with the authorities. She explained to them that he was her son, and she did not want him to be separated from the rest of the family. The officials were cruel; they refused.

My mother went to the local pastor for assistance. Pastor Molaba lived in the Presbyterian church's premises in Tenth Avenue. The pastor ...

To read more on how the pastor helped Rose's mother and her brother on the dompass problem; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

My elder brother, Mashaole Job Rakoma,
who had a "dompass" problem.

Review by Xlibris

Memoir shows author's resilience, perseverance

Rose Mmatsatsi Rakoma Llale imparts story of hardship and success, inspiring readers

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - For many years, the citizens of South Africa have been divided due to the apartheid system. The racial divide may have ended now, but the scars of the past cannot be easily removed. Author Rose Mmatsatsi Rakoma Llale looks back during the time of the apartheid era and shares a touching story of rising over trials and poverty through her memoir, "The Memories of My Life in Alexandra Township I Know". 

Looking back to her childhood years, Llale narrates how her family had struggled with poverty, with her parents making both ends meet while keeping everyone together. Advancing to her teenage and adult years, Llale becomes a picture of optimism as she studied, earned her degree and worked her way to building her own family.

Honest and raw, Llale's account of growing up in Alexandra Township during the apartheid era shows readers the undeniable contrast of life in the urban and the rural areas. Written with such passion to share and inspire, "The Memories of My Life in Alexandra Township I Know" is one testimony of a woman rising over life's tough challenges.

"The Memories of My Life in Alexandra Township I Know"

By Rose Mmatsatsi Rakoma Llale

Softcover| 6 x 9in | 89 pages | ISBN 9781483693804

E-Book | 89 pages | ISBN 9781483693811

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Rose Mmatsatsi Llale (nee Rakoma) is the first daughter of the late Josiah Rakoma and the late Hendrica Rakoma. She resided in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, South Africa. She was married to the late Amos Mokone Llale, who passed away in 1992. They were blessed with four daughters, and two granddaughters. Llale first qualified as a higher primary school teacher in 1962. She taught for only nine months in 1963. Then in October 1963, she enrolled as a student nurse at Pretoria General Hospital. In 1968, she qualified as a midwife at Baragwanath Hospital. In 1977, she qualified as an ophthalmic nurse at St. John Eye Hospital in Johannesburg. In 1980, she obtained primary health care nursing diploma at Soweto Community Health Centres in Johannesburg and obtained a BCUR nursing degree in 1986 with the University of South Africa. From December 1999 to November 2000, she worked at a nursing home in Glasgow, Scotland. In the year 2002, she worked in Northampton's Rushden Nursing Home, and for the last six months, she worked in Wales' Nursing Home. At present, she is retired and is doing sessional nursing at Baragwanath's St. John Eye Hospital section.

Chapter 22 - Thusi The Policeman

The policemen used to patrol the streets regularly. Many people used to be arrested during these patrols. They used to target people selling or drinking homemade brew and brandy. Those who did not have dompas, or the permit for being in Alexandra, were also arrested.

My mother used to make homemade brew. She also engaged in fah-fee* (Chinese gambling) as a source of income. My father was a domestic worker. He later owned his own business of shoe repair and a barbershop.

Our living conditions were difficult. When one of us had chicken pox, in no time, all of us would get infected. The local nurses used to come and give my mom health education. There was one clinic in Alexandra called Alexandra Township Clinic. We were vaccinated against different diseases such as TB, measles, polio, etc.

One day, as my mother was busy brewing beer, police suddenly stormed into the yard through the fence......


To read more on what happened when the apartheid-era police found Rose's mother brewing beer illegaly in her yard; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 21 - The Sewage System

Alexandra Township used the bucket sewerage system. Masepala men, as they were called, used to replace full buckets with empty ones. The cleaned buckets were greased with a disinfectant and tar. It used to amuse all the children in the neighbourhood.

The buckets were removed at night, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Masepala men used to come twice per week, Mondays and Fridays. They never wanted to be known. Most of them were Zulu speaking. Watching them to do their job was fun.

Buckets were emptied onto a truck parked in front of the gate of every yard. Another truck brought empty buckets. As the Masepala men were busy, we would be playing our black mampatile game. We were naughty and used to tease them. We would say, 'Masepala, Masepala, etc'. They would be mad at us.

One night, as we were teasing them, one of the Masepala men became very angry. He took a bucket full of...


To read more on what was in the bucket of the Masepala man and what he did with it; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 20 - The Burglary

We were a family of twelve and lived in a two-roomed house. It had a kitchen and a bedroom. The kitchen was used as a dining room as well. We rented the house from Tshwaedi family. They were cousin to King Lebone Molotlegi of Rustenburg.

In our yard there used to be a cottage occupied by a family of six. There was a flat-roofed house occupied by three families. The big house in the middle was occupied by the owner of the property. We all shared the four toilets outside. The owner locked his toilet, and the rest of the families shared the other three toilets. The toilets were what was known as the bucket system. The buckets were not covered by any barrier at the back.

There was no privacy, and some naughty guys used to pass urine at the back and peep at girls in the toilets. If we noticed any guy at the back of the toilet, we waited till he was gone. Many a time, we saw guys peeping through the back of the toilet.

One tap of water was used by all. Collecting water was scheduled at specific times. A bell would ring, and buckets would be placed in a row in order to collect water. If you are not present during that time, you may just forget receiving any water. We were all cautious about the time of collecting water.

Since our house was overcrowded, my siblings and I used to sleep on the floor.
We all slept in one bedroom. Our parents slept on the bed. The bed was covered by a screen. One night we were all sleeping, and thugs broke into our house...


To read more on what the thugs did after they broke into Rose's house while they were sleeping; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 19 - Gangsters

Alexandra Township used to be infested with gangsters. There were two gangs called the Spoilers and Msomi. They were very dignified and very intelligent. Each gang wanted to rule the township. There was rivalry between the two groups. The gangsters were armed with guns. Matured and attractive girls were their targets. If they wanted any girl, the girl could never say no; otherwise, she would be killed.

The police could never catch them because they were good in dodging them. Had they been caught, they would have been killed because the police of the time were instructed to shoot to kill. They were merciless.

The police demanded dompas from every male they caught. If you were not born in Alexandra, police used to come and demand a permit from you. The permit gave the holder of the permit permission to live in Alexandra temporarily. Those who didn't have proper documentation were ...

To read more on how the police handled the gangs at the time; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 18 - The Bus Boycott

Alexandra Township was a multicultural township. Shangaan, Zulu, Tswana, Pedi, etc. children played together. There was no segregation. It used to be fun and exciting. Our parents networked together. We knew our neighbours and interacted with them.

The men in our street, Fifth Avenue, formed a street-watch committee. They were known as civil guards. Every house had a whistle. In case of any trouble in the neighbourhood, a whistle was blown, and everyone would come out looking for culprits. There was a spirit of community.
Women used to belong to small groups called societies. They used to wear their uniforms. They attended these societies on Sundays.

During those times, people used to work in town, Johannesburg CBD (Central Business District). We used to board Putco buses to travel to town and other places such as Bramley, Rosebank, Sandown, and along Louis Botha Avenue. The bus fare was just three pence.

In 1957, Putco proposed an increase of one penny, from three pence to four pence. The community was furious and decided to boycott. The police were deployed in the township. They....

To read more on what the police did once they were deployed to stop the boycott; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 17 - Schooling in Alexandra

In 1956, I went to Holy Cross School to start my Standard 6. However, I was refused admission because I came from a rural school. Standard 6 learners wrote an external examination. Most learners used to fail. The principal was afraid that I was going to increase the failure rate. I was instead demoted to Standard 5. My mother was upset by the decision. She tried to persuade me to go to Alexandra High School. I refused because I used to attend Holy Cross before moving to Pietersburg.

I passed my Standard 5 and was promoted to Standard 6, which I passed with flying colours. This proved that the education I received in Pietersburg was good. During that time, our family was blessed with twin girls, Magdeline and Angeline. It was a difficult time for us.

My mom needed assistance with the twins and so I used to help help her. When the babies got sick, I would help my mom take them to a doctor in Harrow Road, Johannesburg. We used a Putco bus to get there. She would...


To read more on what Rose and her mother used to do on the trip taking the twins to the doctor in Johannesburg; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 16 - Tuberculosis Infection

Our family of ten children and two parents lived in a two-roomed house in Alexandra. As a result, my younger brother Jonas contracted Tuberculosis.  The whole family had chest X-rays taken at the local Alexandra Clinic. Fortunately, the results were negative, except for Jonas.

A nurse was assigned to administer medication to Jonas. The medication was in the form of an intramuscular injection. This was a problem for Jonas. The nurse used to arrive early in the morning. Jonas would run away, down Hofmeyer Street.  He ran until he reached Twentieth Avenue.  His friends would be assigned to go and fetch him. The poor nurse would wait until he was brought home. He still required people to restrain him whilst the nurse administered medication. After medication, Jonas would cry for a long time.

My mother had compassion for my brother. She arranged for Jonas to ...

To read more on what Rose's mother arranged for Jonas to escape the 'torture' he was going through at the time; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

My younger brother, Modupi Jonas Rakoma,
 who once had TB infection.

Chapter 15 - Going Back to Alexandra Township

After completing Standard 5 in Sekuto village, I had to go back to Alexandra to do Standard 6, which was an external examination. There were no Standard 6 schools in Sekuto. The nearest school was in a village called Ga-Mothapo, which was far from my home village. The only form of transportation was an ox wagon.

I had to go back to Johannesburg at the end of 1955. My mom arranged transportation to take me to Johannesburg. There was a man who had a van which he used to transport people to and fro Johannesburg. My friends were sad to see me leave. I was also sad.
Mr Motimele, the van driver, arrived in the evening to fetch me. I sat at the back of the van with other passengers also going to Johannesburg. The trip was long and bumpy. We arrived in the morning. My family and friends were happy to see me again.

There were two gangster groups in Alexandra at the time, ...

To read more on which gangster groups were terrorizing the township at the time and the chaos they used to bring, buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 14 - The Livestock and Grains

My grandparents had livestock. My brothers used to assist my grandfather in looking after it. They had goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, and chickens.
One Saturday morning, one ox called Rooiman came charging after me. I did not see it coming. All I remember is that I was knocked onto the ground. I quickly ran to the house. I was very scared, but thankfully, I was not seriously injured.

The oxen were used to plough the fields. November was planting time. Mealies, cereals, and beans were planted. January and February were hoeing months. I used to assist my grandparents hoeing in order to gain experience. April was harvest time for maize and marula fruit.

My grandmother used to brew marula and made beer from it for my grandfather. She also used to make juice from marula. It was just like colddrink, very delicious. The dried core of marula was then split open with a stone. Inside the core...



To read more on what they used to produce from the many grains and livestock they had, buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 13 - The Tragic Incident

Kgopa was back looking for his wife after two months. When my brothers and I arrived home from school one day, we found twenty dead chickens laid in a row. Kgopa had killed all our meat. We were shocked and scared. Kgopa was standing at the gate like a bodyguard. We ran to my maternal grandmother's house nearby, and she gave us food to eat.

My grandfather called the police, who then took Kgopa to a mental hospital. He was discharged from the hospital after a few months. He went back to be under his father's care in Maripa Thekwini. After some time, his father became tired of looking after his mad son. Kgopa's father was a widower. The stress of looking after his mad son took its toll.

One evening, whilst Kgopa was sleeping, his father locked the hut where he was sleeping from the outside with a padlock. He...

My maternal grandmother, Rosina Mokgadi Manyama. Myself and the other kids
used to run to my grandmother's house for safety afraid of the mentally disturbed, Kgopa.

To find out what Kgopa's father was up to, buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 12 - My Grandparents' Home

My grandparents' huts were surrounded by fig trees that acted as a fence.  We gained access to the yard through a wooden gate. The yard was very big; there were aloe trees, a mielie field, and a pumpkin garden.

One Sunday, my friend and I saw a green snake wrapped around one of the fig trees. We quickly called my grandmother. When my grandmother came out, the snake hid itself. I was very scared that night because I thought the snake would come out in the hut whilst we were sleeping.

My grandparents had a dog called Tom. It was a black-and-white dog. Tom was a friendly dog but not to strangers. When I arrived late after dark, it never used to bark at me. My friends, however, did not enjoy such pleasures because Tom used to bark at them. As a result, they were reluctant to visit me. They were also afraid of my grandmother; she was noisy and cheeky. I used to go and play with my friends.

One of the games we used to play was kgwele. The game entailed...

To find out more about the game called kgwele, buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 11 - The Nearby Farm Known as Ga-Broer

We used to live near a farm. Once a year, the farmer would let us come and collect firewood from his farm in exchange for the hard labor. We had to remove weeds from his farming fields. This took twelve hours. We started at 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The following day. The following day, we would go and collect the firewood.

The farm was dense. It had a few wild animals, such as hare, monkeys and springboks. There were also snakes and lizards. I was scared and followed my friend wherever he went. We went searching for dry branches, stems, and trees. The farmer only gave us a day to collect wood. For lunch, we had porridge and spinach, which we brought with us from home. While we were collecting firewood, I saw a monkey, and I was scared. My friend comforted and encouraged me.

We worked systematically in that we collected wood and placed it in a central area and then moved it to the gate. The firewood was arranged in such a way that it can be carried over our head. Each girl had bundles of firewood. Every girl had someone from home helping her to carry the firewood. My grandmother came to help me carry the firewood home. The farmer did not permit them to enter the farm. They waited for us outside the fence.

My grandmother was not happy with my collection. She said...

To read more why Rose's grandmother wasn't happy with her collection buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 10 - The Initiation School

I was surprised one day when my paternal grandfather's second wife came to fetch me.  She took me to the initiation school for women.  I was both curious and excited because I always wanted to discover the secrets of the initiation school.  No one, except the initiates and the instructors, was supposed to know what happened at the initiation school.  Should any initiate disclose any secret information, she would be summoned to the chief to give account.  There were rumours that said that if you told others about what happened at the initiation school, you would become insane or even die.

The initiation school was held at the local herdsman's home at a mountainous area and accepted about thirty girls at any time.  Our uniform was animal skin.  We had to wear animal skin every day.  As a result, our waist started to itch because we became infested with lice.

The first person to undertake any task at the school was the headman's daughter. She was supposed to go first so that she can test the safety of...


To learn more on what the headman's daughter underwent at the initiation school; buy the book at: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805 (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 9 - In and Out of the Rural Area

Living in the rural areas was difficult at that time. The transport system was appalling. We used cattle-drawn wagons to go to town. Our village was surrounded by mountains, hills, and rivers.

When I first left Alexandra for Pietersburg with my uncle, we used a train. We boarded a bus to Johannesburg Park station. When we got there, my uncle did not buy me a ticket. I was still very young. The train examiner came and asked me to touch my left ear over the head with my right finger. If my hand did not reach my left ear, then I wouldn't have to pay.

During school holidays, I used to travel to Alexandra with my uncle. My uncle used to hide me under the bed in the train so that I wouldn't have to pay. When the train examiner came in to check the tickets, I would lay still and only come out after he left.

When I arrived in Pietersburg, the guy called Monnana would give me a ride to my grandmother's house on his bicycle. The road was terrible. It had a lot of stones and potholes. The journey was unpleasant.

My grandmother would be very happy to see me and would slaughter a ....


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Chapter 8 - Minor Ailments

Sometime later whilst living with my grandparents, I developed an infection in my left eye. It started itching and was painful and sticky in the morning. The eye was lachrymating and very sensitive to light. Gradually my eye was getting smaller and smaller.

My friend Masali was asked to look into my eye to see if there was any foreign body. She saw white spot on my cornea. My grandmother checked my eye also but saw nothing. Masali was called. She was asked to prick her right index finger and squeeze the blood into my eye. This was according to our custom because she was the first one to see white spot on my cornea. After a few days, there was still no improvement.

I then decided to write a letter to Mom informing her of my situation. She quickly informed my uncle, Mr Phineas Maponya. He was a teacher at a nearby village called Laaste Hoop.  He took me to a doctor in Pietersburg in his car. The doctor gave me an injection, medication, and eye drops. The infection was gone within a few days. It was a real miracle especially considering my friend's blood. I thank God and my uncle's swift action. If it was not for them, I would have lost my vision.

My brother Johannes developed a skin infection. He had sores all over his body. As a result, he could not ...

My younger brother, Johannes "Mokolobetsi"
 Rakoma, who once developed a skin infection.

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Chapter 7 - Life Experience in the Rural Areas

I had a friend called Masali. She was very fond of me. We did a lot of things together. There was a game we enjoyed playing together. The game was called kgwele. The game was more like hockey. We played it in veld using round wood and a wooden stick.

Masali and I used to grind mealies on big rocks using small manageable rocks to grind with.  My hands used to get blisters initially, but I got used to it as time went on.  We also used wooden poles to grind mealies until finely ground into mealie meal. Picking wild fruits and vegetables was one of my favourite pastimes.

Our regular food was sour milk and porridge.  My mom used to send money so that my grandmother may buy this milk.  There was a farm nearby where this milk was sold. My brother used to go to buy from the farmer.

My grandmother was untidy; she would keep our food where cockroaches would get into our food. Before we ate, we had to first remove the cockroaches.

My grandparent's house was made up of...

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Rose and her paternal grandmother, Magdeline Rakoma, who used to be very strict.

Chapter 6 - Traditional Schooling

In 1955, my younger brother Johannes arrived from Alexandra to join us. He was only eight years old.  He arrived during winter. He had come to attend initiation school in the Lebopo or Lebombo Mountains.

While in initiation school, my brother got sick.  My maternal grandfather had to tell my parents, who were in Alexandra at the time, about my brother's condition.  Our tradition forbade us from visiting him.  My mom, worried, came to Pietersburg.

My paternal grandfather was against initiation school.  My brother's sickness only made his point strong.  He was an elder of a local church and a devoted Christian.  He was also a .......




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Chapter 5 - School Activities

We didn't have a watch or clock to guide us in terms of time. My brother and I depended on the sun to help us determine whether it was time to go to school or not.

In the morning, my brother would take a big stone, place it on the ground, and then mark where its shade was on the ground. If it happened that the next day the shade had moved beyond the previous day's mark, we knew we were late for school.

When we arrived at the school, the principal will be there, waiting to punish us with a cane for coming late. Corporal punishment was the order of the day. Mr Mashiane, the principal, used to keep a cane with him all the time.

During the athletic season, all the children had to run. The school principal ran after them with a sjambok. If you happened to be last, you would be beaten. When it came to running, I was hopeless.

Our everyday homework was to memorize poems word for word. The next day, each student will be required to recite it in front of other children. If you skip a word, you would be punished. My brother used to be punished in spite of trying to memorize every morning.

One day, upon arriving home from school, we found a snake ...

Snake on the ground...
Picture Credit: www.shutterstock.com

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Chapter 4 - Relocation to the Village

Following hospitalization, I was now free from screams and hallucinations.  My parents were still not satisfied. They consulted a traditional healer, who adviced them to move me from Alexandra to the village. According to her, the move would help me to be completely healed.

In 1953, I was sent to Ga-Molepo, Pietersburg, in the Sekuto rural area.  My grandmother and my grandfather welcomed me. My elder brother Job and my cousin Albert stayed with them also.

Albert was raised by my grandparents because his mother worked as a domestic worker in Pretoria. n His father was an Indian man, Tayob, from Marabastad, Pretoria.

My grandmother used to cut Albert's growing hair because children at school used to be astonished by his long black silky hair. We attended school at St Theresea.

In 1953, I did Standard 3, Grade 5. My class teacher was Mr Mashiane. We walked to school every morning. We went over the Sekuto Mountain. Albert was not happy to see me...



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Chapter 3 - Schooling

I attended school at Holy Cross, in Second Avenue, Alexandra Township. It was a Roman Catholic school.  I attended from Sub A, now Grade 1, to Standard 2, or Grade 4, from 1949 to 1952.

I became very sick in 1952. My mother took me to Dr Klas at the intersection of Third Avenue and Selbourne Street.  Afterwards, he started giving me intramuscular injections at home on a daily basis. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I used to have hallucinations. At other times I would scream with my eyes fixed to the ceiling.

I would point to the ceiling, 'seeing' frightening creatures...

Rose as a High School Student.

To find out which creatures Rose was seeing and what condition she was eventually diagnosed with read more from her book "The Memories Of My Life In Alexandra Township I Know". To order, go to: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Life-Alexandra-Township-Know/dp/1483693805  (Amazon) or http://www.takealot.com/the-memories-of-my-life-in-alexandra-township-i-know/PLID36786983 (Takealot).

Chapter 2 - Games

As children we used to play at the intersection of Hofmeyer Street and Fifth Avenue.

Our neighbour's yard, Number 44, was full of children of different cultures. Amongst these children were Shangaan twin sisters, who used to do Shangaan traditional dance. We used to watch them, especially over weekends.

The Pedis, Sothos, Shangaans, Tswanas, and Zulus used to play together.


We played different games. The most popular game was...

Children playing 

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Chapter 1 - Dark City

Alexandra Township, or the Dark City, as commonly known in the early fifties, is an old black township near Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. It was called the Dark City as there was no electricity.

The Dark City was divided from north to south by the following main streets, namely, Vasco Da Gama, John Brandt, Hofmeyer, Selbourne, Rooth, Rooseveldt, and London. From east to west, it was divided by twenty-two streets or avenues.

My father, Isaiah Rakoma, left Ga-Molepo village in Pietersburg for Johannesburg in 1938. He got married to my mother, Hendrica Ngwanankwana Manyama, in 1939 in Pietersburg.

In 1940, they were blessed with a son named Jonas. His name was later changed to Job.  A certain traditional healer adviced my parents to rename him after my late father's brother Job... This was because...

Rose and her parents, Josiah and Hendrica Rakoma, during her Graduation Day.

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Introduction: Facts About Alexandra Township

Alexandra Township
Picture Credit: Art and Design website (pria.org). Visit the website for more of their fantastic pictures.

Alexandra Township in Johannesburg is a sprawling ghetto township, some twelve kilometers, north-east of the city centre.  It is surrounded by wealthy suburbs like Sandton, Kelvin, and Wendywood.

Driving through Alexandra leaves one with the overall impression of squalor and desperate poverty witnessed in the polluted streets, the overcrowded shacks, and the many unemployed people milling about the streets.

The story of Alexandra goes back to 1904 when it was very much part of Johannesburg's farmland.

In 1912, Alexandra was proclaimed a native township, and by 1916, the Alexandra Health Committee was established to manage Alexandra.  This settlement accommodated around thirty thousand people then.  The Committee received no funds from the city council for managing the township.  The roads were untarred, no rainwater drainage system, no streetlights, no sewerage system, and haphazard shack settlement took the appearance of a ghetto.

In 1948, Alexandra was administered by the Peri-Urban Areas Health Board, and through the issuing of permits and passes, further settlement of people in the township was controlled. Police raided homes, checking on passes, and residents not in possession of relevant documents were systematically moved out of Alexandra.

Alexandra Township has been under threat of demolition many times in its ninety-year-old history.
A friendship between a church Pastor and a cabinet minister is what finally saved the township from demolition in 1979.  The church minister was the Reverend Sam Buti, who initiated and drove the Save Alex campaign in the late 1970s, and Dr Piet Koornhof, minister of cooperation and development during the apartheid government.

In the early 1990s, the township was racked by violence in the run-up to the first democratic elections in 1994.  Violence broke out between residents in the men's hostels and residents at the south of the hostels, an area that became known as Beirut.

In 1998, a development plan was drawn up, planned to reduce Alexandra's population and divide the township into development zones.
Superblocks, three-storeyblocks, were to be built to house 3,000 people.  Total cost to be R3 billion. An athletes' village was constructed in 1999 for the All African Games on the Far East Bank area. It was called Tsutsumani and consisted of 1,700 free-standing, semi-detached, and simplex units.  These are now occupied by Alexandrans who have been on the housing waiting list and qualified.

In February 2001, President Thabo Mbeki announced the Alexandra Renewal Project and that an amount of R1.3 billion has been made available, and that over the period of seven years, the township is  to be upgraded.

In the last decade, there have been flickers of hopeful private/public sector investment in Alexandra, in the quest to uplift Alexandra’s quality of life.  In year 2000, the Bombani Shelter for Abused Women was opened, run by three volunteers from the community. Later Alexandra People’s Centre opened, providing an information centre, a help and complaints desk, as well as a centre for the payment for local rates, electricity, and water.

After the World Summit on Sustainable Development, a resource centre used at the summit was donated to Alexandra Township. It consists of sixteen computers, a call centre for five operators, an audiovisual centre with two televisions, two video machines and a screen and cameras, and a conference or education room.

In an effort to bring tourists and their money into the township, tours in Alexandra are now conducted. The township now boasts several restaurants and bed-and-breakfast establishments.

Source: City of Johannesburg website

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