Charge: Members R110 Non-members R160
Bring: Comfortable walking shoes, a bottle of water. No refreshments available en route
Directions: From Beyers Naude Drive in Melville, take the left fork at Mays Chemist corner 4th Avenue. A dog's leg follows at the top into Motor Road. Continue down until T- junction. Turn right here and follow along the edge of the Westlake Dam. Continue uphill along Thornton Road which becomes Edward Road in Sophiatown. Drive till you reach Triomf Shopping Centre. Enter, park and meet at KFC by 10.00 a.m.
Booking essential: Numbers are limited. Phone Anita Arnott at 011 795 4056 or arnottanita@gmail.com
Sophiatown was originally a farm outside Johannesburg. It was bought by Hermann Tobiansky, who named it after his wife, Sophia. Subsequently, the area became a 'Whites Only' area. When a sewage dump was built next to the area, White people did not want to live there anymore, and they moved. Later, Blacks and Coloureds were given permission to settle there by the owner. It was early in the morning at 4 AM on the 9th of February, 1955, when 2000 policemen entered Sophiatown heavenly armed. They bulldozed each and every building and forcibly removed Blacks to Meadowlands, Coloureds were moved to western native township and 'Indians' to Lenasia. They renamed Sophiatown Triomf. For more than 50 years everybody was convinced that Sophiatown would never be alive again but in 1994 the ANC won the election and in 1996 the process of renaming Sophiatown started. In 2006, Triomf was officialy renamed Sophiatown. Mbali Zwane, our guide, will take us to the famous landmarks including the Church of Christ the King where Father Trevor Huddleston played a leading role in the community. We will finish at the museum.
Mbali Zwane is originally from Mpumalanga. After moving to Johannesburg, she received the opportunity to study Heritage Management at Museum Africa. This rich experience made her realize her dream and potential. Upon completing her studies, Mbali began working for Sophiatown Heritage center as the heritage practitioner, researcher and tourist guide. Mbali and her team designed the award winning exhibition called "fongkong Freedoms". She also designed a popular exhibition in Sophiatown called "My Sophiatown". She created a name for herself when she researched and curated the "Interesting women of Sophiatown' exhibition. She has managed to discover the hidden treasures of Sophiatown, including the story of Regina Brookes, a White woman who chose to be Black during apartheid and Mama Sally Motlane, the woman who chose to sell tomatoes in the street rather than teach bantu education.