Many great artists that we listen to too this day first started performing in Sophiatown.
The Gangsters:
Gangsters played a major role in the life of the average Sophiatown resident.
Many gangsters had normal 9am – 5pm jobs during the day but at night and on weekends they did petty crimes to increase there weekly in come.
Gangsters lived the good life they had women and money at they disposal and the respect of many of the Sophiatown residents.
One of the gangs, the Americans, became highly liked by township residents because there stole goods from rich white people and sold them to locals at a much cheaper price.
Violence was inevitable if you were a gangster they often fought to kill members of other gangs, some gangs were formed so the members could protect themselves from other gangs.
Gangsters were inspired by American culture and movies. The gangsters spoke and acted in certain ways because of there heroes in movies. Some of the phrases coined in the 50’s are still used today as part of Kasi Taal.
Shebeens:
Pubs are the modern equivalent of shebeens, a place where people can meet, plan and discuss things while having a good time.
It was illegal for Africans to purchase European liquor, so Shebeens became the place were Sophiatown locals and visitors came together to have a good time.
Shebeens worked on a bit of a class system, you found Shebeens that catered mainly for the poorer Africans.
“There are those that are just out to make money, and damn the customer. They are dirty and crowed and hostile. The shebeen queen is always hurrying you to drink quickly and swearing at somebody”- Can Themba on these low class shebeens.
They were other much better shebeens that were run from people’s homes. The seating arrangements were much more comfortable; these shebeens normally had great performers and a different sort of people in the shebeen.
Shebeen queens were the driving force behind all of this, shebeens were run from there homes. These women were wealthy and liked by the community, they were dependant on a white person to supply them with alcohol since it was illegal for Africans to buy European liquor.
The liquor was hidden in many different ways from hollow table to household taps that poured out brandy and wine.
There was always someone the look out for the police and they quickly give out a signal if the police were near and all liquor would be quickly hidden.
Drum Magazine:
Drum magazine was created by Jim Bailey. Drum was a magazine that should the other side of the South Africa from shebeens, jazz, gang violence and the cruelty against Africans.
The drum staff were highly in intelligent young men who had fun doing there job but lived under the constant fear of the police, they lived fast and died young.
Alcohol abuse was a major problem amongst the Drum staff
Apartheid:
There was a constant fear of the police and what they might do to you amongst the Sophiatown residents. Many people were arrested and they never appeared again.
In 1955 Sophiatown residents were forcibly removed from there homes, family and friends in Sophiatown.
The government never liked the fact that there was no
Segregation of races in Sophiatown so they had always planned to demolish Sophiatown.
