Ekurhuleni , livre ebook

EKURHULENI
THE MAKING OF AN URBAN REGION
Philip Bonner Noor Nieftagodien
with Sello Mathabatha
EKURHULENI
THE MAKING OF AN URBAN REGION
Philip Bonner Noor Nieftagodien
with Sello Mathabatha
Wits University Press
1 Jan Smuts Avenue
Johannesburg
South Africa
www.witspress.co.za
Copyright text Philip Bonner and Noor Nieftagodien 2012
Photographs Individual copyright holders 2012
First published 2012
ISBN 978-1-86814-543-0 (soft cover)
ISBN 978-1-86814-737-3 (hard cover)
ISBN (EPUB - IPG) 978-1-86814-838-7
ISBN (EPUB - ROW) 978-1-86814-839-4
ISBN (PDF) 978-1-86814-599-7
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher, except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act, Act 98 of 1978.
Wits University Press and the authors have made every reasonable effort to contact and acknowledge copyright owners. Please notify the publishers should copyright not have been properly identified and acknowledged. Corrections will be incorporated in subsequent editions of the book.
Edited by Patricia Botes
Project managed by Julie Miller
Cover design by Quba Design and Motion
Layout and design by Quba Design and Motion
Printed by Paarl Media, Paarl
PHOTOGRAPH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Museum Africa
Boksburg photos
Ekurhuleni collection
Museum Africa
Museum Africa
Benoni museum
Benoni museum
Benoni museum
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
Museum Africa
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
Historical and Literary Papers
Historical and Literary Papers
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Historical and Literary Papers
Historical and Literary Papers
BAHA
Museum Africa
Germiston collection
Scan (Quba)
Ronald Ngilima
Ronald Ngilima
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
Benoni museum
Boksburg collection
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Historical and Literary Papers
Museum Africa
Boksburg collection
Museum Africa
Museum Africa
University of the Free State
Gille de Vlieg
Historical and Literary Papers
Historical and Literary Papers
Germiston collection
Industrial Alberton
Museum Africa
Museum Africa
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Historical and Literary Papers
BAHA
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Historical and Literary Papers
Drum Social Histories/BAHA
Benoni Son of my Sorrow
AVUSA
Gille de Vlieg
Museum Africa
AVUSA
Gille de Vlieg
Historical and Literary Papers
Gille de Vlieg
Gille de Vlieg
Gille de Vlieg
Gille de Vlieg
Gille de Vlieg
Historical and Literary Papers
Historical and Literary Papers
Gille de Vlieg
AVUSA
AVUSA
AVUSA
William Matlala
Ekurhuleni
AVUSA
COPAC
Ekurhuleni
Marie Huchzermeyer
Marie Huchzermeyer
Marie Huchzermeyer
Marie Huchzermeyer
AVUSA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PHOTOGRAPH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ACRONYMS
FOREWORD
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PREFACE
CHAPTER ONE: TRACING THE CONTOURS OF EKURHULENI
CHAPTER TWO: WHITE WORKERS AND THEIR STRUGGLES 1907-1924
CHAPTER THREE: CONSTRUCTING BLACK EKURHULENI, 1890-1927
CHAPTER FOUR: EKURHULENI S INSUBORDINATE WOMEN 1918-1945
CHAPTER FIVE: SOCIAL WORLDS AND SOCIAL STRAINS IN INDUSTRIALISING EKURHULENI
CHAPTER SIX: SQUATTER CAMPS AND IMMIGRANT CULTURE
CHAPTER SEVEN: TURNING POINT 1940S
CHAPTER EIGHT: THE FIRST STEPS IN SOCIAL ENGINEERING - RECONFIGURING SPACE
CHAPTER NINE: BLACK POLITICS IN EKURHULENI IN THE MID-1950S
CHAPTER TEN: MAKING OF A MODERN ECONOMY
CHAPTER ELEVEN: APARTHEID S HEYDAY IN EKURHULENI
CHAPTER TWELVE: THE STUDENT MOVEMENT OF 1976
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: EKURHULENI AND THE STRUGGLE AGAINST APARTHEID
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: A TIME OF INSURRECTION
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: POLITICS OF THE STALEMATE
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE POLITICS OF TRANSITION
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: CITY OF FRAGMENTS
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: INFORMAL AND CONTENTIOUS CITY
ENDNOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ACRONYMS AMWU African Mine Workers Union ANC African National Congress APF Anti-Privatisation Forum AZAPO Azanian People s Organisation BC Black Consciousness BCM Black Consciousness Movement BLA Black Local Authority BPC Black People s Convention CBD Central Business District CDE Centre for Development and Enterprise CNETU Council of Non-European Trades Unions COP Congress of the People (formed in 1953) COPE Congress of the People (formed in 2008) COSAS Congress of South African Students COSATU Congress of South African Trade Unions CPSA Communist Party of South Africa CWIU Chemical Workers Industrial Union DA Democratic Alliance DCA Duduza Civic Association DET Department of Education and Training DMA Disaster Management Act ERAB East Rand Administration Board ERAPO East Rand People s Organisation ERPM East Rand Proprietary Mines ERUCA East Rand Urban Councils Association FAK Federasie van Afrikaner Kultuurvereenigings FAWU Food and Allied Workers Union FOSATU Federation of South African Trade Unions FSAW Federation of South African Women GAA Group Areas Act GAB Group Areas Board GDP Gross Domestic Product GEAR Growth, Employment and Redistribution GWU Garment Workers Union HNP Herstigte Nasionale Party IFP Inkatha Freedom Party JTC Joint Technical Committee KCR Kathorus Concerned Residents LED Local Economic Development MAWU Metal and Allied Workers Union MDG Millennium Development Goals MIG Municipal Infrastructure Grant MK Umkhonto we Sizwe NACTU National Council of Trade Unions NAD Native Affairs Department NEAC Non-European Affairs Committee NECC National Education Crisis Committee NP National Party NUMSA National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa NZASM Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschapij OB Ossewa Brandwag PAC Pan Africanist Congress PFP Progressive Federal Party PWV Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging RDP Reconstruction and Development Programme SACCAWU South Black Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union SACN South African Cities Network SACTU South African Congress of Trade Unions SACWU South African Clothing Workers Union SAIF South African Industrial Federation SALP South African Labour Party SANCO South African National Civic Organisation SANNC South African Native National Congress SASO South African Students Organisation SCM Student Christian Movement SDU Self-Defence Unit SMME Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise SPC Subsidiary Planning Committee SRC Students Representative Council TATA Transvaal African Teachers Association TCA Tembisa Civic Association TCPO Transvaal Coloured People s Organisation TIC Transvaal Indian Congress TILP Transvaal Independent Labour Party TMA Transvaal Miners Association TNC Transvaal Native Congress TPA Thokoza Progressive Association TRA Tembisa Residents Association TRASCO Transvaal Student Congress TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission TSRC Tembisa Students Representative Council TTC Thokoza Town Council UCB Urban Bantu Council UDF United Democratic Front UDM United Democratic Movement UP United Party UWUSA United Workers Union of South Africa VCA Vosloorus Civic Association VPP Vosloorus Progressive Party WEAU Women s Enfranchisement Association of the Union WLJ Women s League of Justice ZAR Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek ZCC Zionist Christian Church
FOREWORD
T he region known as Ekurhuleni today, together with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, may be but just over a decade old, but the history that lies behind the towns that make it up and the region dates back more than a century.
Ekurhuleni - The Making of an Urban Region was commissioned by the Metro a few years ago and put together, with dedication and passion, by Phil Bonner and Noor Nieftagodien of the History Workshop of the University of Witwatersrand. Writing a book that has historical significance and is accurate requires the following attributes: time, dedication and a love for history.
This history book takes you back to the late 1700s and shows just how the area of Ekurhuleni, or the East Rand as it developed into, came about. It is an overview on the area, and the influx of people due to the mining that took place. In addition it talks about the political and class struggle, insubordinate women during the period of 1918-1945, the industrialisation of Ekurhuleni - which the region still prides itself in.
It touches the history of informal settlements and the immigrant culture, politics, apartheid and the civil war in the region - and eventually the transformation within the country and, of course, our area of Ekurhuleni.
This historical oversight on our area will take you on a journey in time through the mid-1990s, just prior to when the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality was formed together with the region of Ekurhuleni.
History is something that is in the making all the time. Ekurhuleni has a history unique to its area and its people. This area has had some turbulent times, and violence has played a role in the eventual establishment of an area that has been baptised with a name that means place of peace - Ekurhuleni.
Today Ekurhuleni may be a young area and metropolitan municipality, but we have come a long way and with our feet firmly on the ground we have a long way to go.
I trust and believe that Ekurhuleni - The Making of an Urban Region will be put to good use by students of history as well as to those who are a part of our area, those in transit, visitors and those who will always be a part of it.
Enjoy this great read.
Councillor Mondli Gungubele
Executive Mayor
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
T he proposal to write a book on the history of Ekurhuleni originated during conversations in 2005 between Duma Nkosi and Karuna Mohan, the Executive Mayor and Director of Local Economic Development of Ekurhuleni respectively, and members of the History Workshop. It was evident to a