Another star found in Benoni

Soobiah realised he would be losing one of his most treasured possessions when his 1950 Morris Minor 1000 and its accompanying SOWETO 1 GP registration plate went under the hammer.

“I could have taken the money and carried on with my life, but I realised what I went through to get this number plate and what the heritage and history it carries means to the people of Soweto and South Africa, so I knew I couldn’t just let it go easily,” he explained.

The car and registration plate went on auction last year, in November, with the SOWETO 1 GP being auctioned for between R800 000 and R1-million.

Although he could have pocketed a substantial amount of money, he felt compelled to preserve this piece of heritage and history and hopes to hand it over to the people who will benefit the most from it.

The township will always have a special place in Soobiah’s heart, as he first arrived in the township in the late ’70s, aged 19, to work as an electrician and superviser on the Kwa Xuma Telephone Exchange, in Jabulani, Soweto.

“I was the first Indian electrician to work a project of this size; I left my family behind when I was barely an adult and had to make a new life for myself in Johannesburg,” recalled Soobiah.

He lived in Finetown, south of Johannesburg and worked in the township until the completion of the project in the 1980s. He was later offered an opportunity to become the first Indian pilot to be trained at the Baragwanath Airfield, in 1980, after he had completed the telephone exchange project.

“I was keen on the job, but, my fear of heights had me pursuing another position, as an electrician for the South African Railways and Harbours, where I was yet again the first Indian to be appointed to work at Koedoespoort.

“I enjoyed my time in Soweto and although politically the situation had been volatile, it was a pleasure being around the people of Soweto – I had no idea that, over two decades after being there, the place would hold such meaning in my life,” he smiled.

Soobiah stumbled upon the vintage Morris Minor 1000 while driving around Benoni almost five years ago, and decided to buy it.

“It was parked in the yard and I spotted it and wanted to buy it with the intention of turning it into a sports car, but it seems the car had different plans for me.

“It took me about two years to restore it car and have it looking in mint condition, as parts were very difficult to find,” he said.

Although it is very rare for individuals to own registration plates with the number one, as they are usually reserved for mayoral cars, Soobiah seemed to have luck on his side despite it sprouting from a tragic situation.

“I lost my daughter, Cashane, when she was just 23 years old. She died in a car accident in 2009 and it was a tragic loss but it seems my angel was looking out for me,” he smiled.

Soobiah recalls his daughter, who at the time of her death worked as a researcher with the MAC Aids Fund Leadership Initiative of Columbia University and UCLA, visiting him in a dream and inspiring him to obtain the SOWETO 1 GP registration plate.

“She reminded me in the dream of how much that place means to me; that my blood, sweat and tears are literally in that township,” he said.

He was confronted with a lot of difficulty at the traffic department when he applied for the registration plate, but when he told officials his story of his history with the township, as well as how he came to the decision to obtain this specific registration number, he was granted the plate.

“I didn’t know that they would be worth that much money at the time, I was simply paying homage to Soweto and my daughter,” he said.

”I have been and still do get stopped in traffic and made offers for both the car and plates, but I will not part with them simply making a large sum of money.

“I will hold onto SOWETO 1 GP, as I honestly believe it is a moving heritage site for the people of Soweto and would like to work with our government to ensure that it not only drives around and attracts admirers but also creates a lasting legacy for Sowetans,” he added.

He was advised that the trademark alone has unlimited business applications, which he hopes to look into in the near future, working closely with not only the government but also the people of Soweto.

“It’s too huge a piece of important history for me to be the sole custodian of it, and I hope I will be able to pass it on to the correct people in the future,” he said.

”This is very reason why, despite initially putting it up for auction, I decided to not proceed with that and to keep it, as I later realised that you cannot put a price on the pride, history, struggles and heritage of Soweto.”