A celebration of South Africa’s twenty years of democracy kicked off with a walking tour on Monday and ended on a high note with scorching live jazz in one of Johannesburg’s most controversial suburbs, Sophiatown.
Mbali Zwane, the official walking tour guide, emphasised the importance of celebrating Freedom Day: “We have to honour the people who fought against apartheid. They weren’t fighting for themselves — they were fighting for future generations. They bought our freedom in blood.”
The tour of the historic suburb set off at noon from the Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre and included several significant buildings and sites to stop at along the way. In many cases, only remnants of these buildings remain after the suburb was demolished over half a century ago.
Zwane explained the history behind the walls the tour group were strolling past.
“At the Odin theatre,” she said, gesturing at a now pleasant blue residential house, “Nelson Mandela spoke in anger for the first time in his life.”
The group were treated to a showing of the 2003 movie Drum after the invigorating walk, in which Sophiatown’s colourful and dramatic past was showcased on the big screen.
It was finally time for jazz, the mainstay music of old Sophiatown. The enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the musical stylings of the Neo Leleka Quartet Band led by Leleka himself on trumpet, with Kegorogile Makgatle on drums, Sipho Hlatshwayo on bass guitar and Selby Mahlasela on keyboard.
“Freedom Day is here so that we can celebrate and appreciate who we are, and our history,” Leleka said with a grin.
“I’ve got to admit, it’s quite a privilege to play here on this occasion. And you know, jazz is about freedom. It’s the space where you find you are free.”
The crowd certainly seemed to agree. The sadness of the past evoked a lot of memories on this day. And it also brought hope for the future.
