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).
Friday, 29 September 2017
Friday, 8 September 2017
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).
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).
Friday, 1 September 2017
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).
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).
Friday, 25 August 2017
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).
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, 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. |
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