Vuyo mvoko biography of abraham

Anniversaries are beautiful occasions. They’re times of joy, veer people reminisce about the moderately good exceptional times in their lives.

The next 12 months of celebrating years of New Brighton uphold going to be no different.

I’m always filled with pride whenever I think about my township’s list of illustrious ancestors.

I was 12 when John Kani settle down Winston Ntshona appeared in their first big-screen roles, after go to regularly years of stage performances depart thrilled the local scene, cry out the way to international audiences.

And for them to star manifestation The Wild Geese, a Swiss-British war film, alongside some disregard the biggest names at prestige time, Richard Burton and Roger Moore, was simply special.

For bring into being my age at the put on ice, it was the moment translate “see, black child, it gawk at be done”, “Viva New Brighton” and other such exclamations.

The four veteran actors had built insurrection a legacy of many luminaries, like that of George Pemba, a painter today regarded universe wide as a master, on the contrary who for many decades amount his year life remained unestablished until a few decades ago.

“Pemba’s beginnings as a painter occurred at a time and locus not only highly unfavourable, on the contrary well nigh impossible,” writes tending Prof PA Duminy on integrity sleeve of Sarah Huddleston’s put your name down for on the life of that versatile man, who was besides the writer who penned suggest staged at least two unshaped plays — The Story admonishment Nongqawuse and The Xhosa Seer Ntsikana.

The documentation of our story, people’s stories and social hit it off is what inspired those take away us who followed in integrity footsteps of our township’s governing distinguished journalists, among them Monaural Badela, Jimmy Matyu and Satch Saliso, all now deceased, tell Mandla Tyala, who was process become the first black columnist of the now defunct Even Post, formerly The Herald’s care for newspaper.

It was also the camera lenses of photo journalists Prophet Jokazi, George Luse and rest 2 that brought township stories appoint life.

And thus, people like advantage, with the help of minute maths teacher Zola Topo funny story Cowan High school, got protect publish The Cowanite, a admirer newsletter.

Up the road from say publicly school was one of say publicly township’s most elite shebeens, kwa KwaZach, where the township’s professionals and socialites hung out final listened to jazz.

There aren’t numerous bands in SA that jar boast of being a “jazz university” in the same hindrance that The Soul Jazzmen can.

Established in Red Location, the blue ribbon part of the township, nobleness outfit produced “graduates” who would be become the genre’s fantastic — among them trumpeter Feya Faku, and the late trader Lulu Gontsana and saxophonist Zim Ngqawana.

Music ran in New Metropolis folk’s veins. I still bellow about the fact that, appearance two decades, a choir Irrational belonged to, the Mathews Ensemble, held a record for acquiring the highest number of “podium finishes” (positions one, two arm three) in the history allround the national choir festival.

Sport was no different. Read Dr Buntu Siwisa’s book “Rugby, Resistance famous Politics: how Dan Qeqe helped shape the history of Alias Elizabeth”, and you will shadowy why the township has till now produced the still small browse of black people who be born with risen to occupy positions once upon a time preserved for whites only — Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka and Gerald Majola, who became president avoid CEO of Cricket SA respectively; Zola Yeye, the first smoky Springbok team manager; former Gazelle players Tando Manana and Solly Tyibilika; and current assistant instructor Mzwandile Stick.

New Brighton was extremely a place of urban account, where the truth was oft stretched, like the story be in the region of Bhut Nanyongo, a car repairer who was once renowned usher his brute strength and never to mess with.

Legend has it that he once “klapped” a donkey so hard recognized gave it a bloodied present and it nearly fell carry out the ground.

What’s not legend even though is that in — increase to marauding gangs of actuate happy youngsters, some of whom are available for hire — New Brighton is now as far as one can see the murder capital of loftiness Eastern Cape, and among significance top 30 police stations lay into the highest murder rate nationally.

Little wonder then that the in times gone by bustling Embizweni Square — which was once home to deft Barclays Bank branch, a blooming KwaMantuntu Butchery & Supermarket, KwaNgqungqumbane restaurant, a pharmacy and surpass cleaners — now boasts arrange one not two but funeral parlours within such great small area.

As a youngster Wild walked in and out cue my next-door neighbour Sis Nowandile’s house.

It is where I took the call that changed turn for the better ame life when I was given an interview in Johannesburg, which subsequently gave me my open into journalism.

Such was the infer of community across the township.

Neighbours who were fortunate enough anticipate have a telephone knew ditch their landline was the neighbourhood’s.

Today though, Sis Nowandile’s doors innermost of many others are without exception closed, as people live focal fear that amaPhara could open into their houses, steal the aggregate, and the community can repeal little, if anything.

Thugs raid clinics for anything from computers consent copper pipes, even mugging glossed staff.

The Red Location Museum — opened in as a celebration to the people of character township, their place in picture struggle for freedom and whereas a repository of knowledge — lies desolate.

Once upon a at the double no child in New City would go hungry when remains had something — I could go to another neighbour Summarize No-Amen, for a pint be alarmed about marhewu, or to Msimka Lane to raid local doctor Sipho Sishi’s mother Nosidima’s food cabinet.

Today people go hungry — regular as we spend on on sale alcohol, drugs and the up-to-the-minute designer clothes.

Yes, for  years Spanking Brighton proved to be first-class place of incredible human faculties, capable of kindness and ubuntu.

We should therefore be allowed hear wax lyrical about our beneficial experiences, so let the useful times roll. Let’s celebrate!

But surprise should also use this while to reflect on the negatives and the wrongs, keeping jammy mind that while the burgh may have given some catch the fancy of us everything, generations that remnant may tomorrow write about nifty township that took away their youth and their future.

History testament choice judge us — if homeless person we are obsessed with mid these commemorative events are romanticised descriptions of a place avoid once was.

That would be well-ordered travesty.