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).
Friday, 25 August 2017
Friday, 11 August 2017
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).
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).
Friday, 4 August 2017
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).
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).
Friday, 28 July 2017
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).
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).
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| My younger brother, Modupi Jonas Rakoma, who once had TB infection. |
Thursday, 6 July 2017
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).
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).
Thursday, 29 June 2017
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).
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).
Thursday, 15 June 2017
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...
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).
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...
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| 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).
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