November 1959 - Last Days Of Sophiatown - Big machines

November 1959 - Last Days Of Sophiatown - Big machines and men with picks are beating down the last walls of Sof'town. Take a last look and say goodbye. Sophiatown, the city that was within a city, the Gay Paris of Johannesburg, the notorious Casbah gang den, the shebeeniest of them all. Sophiatown is now breathing for the last time. I was robbed on her streets, beaten up in her dark corners and I will never forget the day when a woman friend of mine was grabbed from me by Sophiatown's tough sons. Her people do not like the fact that she is being murdered and I sympathise with them because she was a free city. There was Aunt Babes, in Edith Street. Bright's place in Tucker and opposite him the Carlton Hotel, run by a Chinaman. She also had her respectable citizens

Picture No

10834505

Media ID

44367204

Size

1920px x 2870px (3.3MB)

Credit

Usage Restrictions

Editorial use only. For any non-editorial use, please contact Mary Evans Picture Library

Source

Photograph: Drum Social Histories - Baileys African History Archive - Africa Media Online