VEREENIGING. – What started out as three friends’ dream in the 1990s to compile a pictorial history of Roshnee came to fruition with the recent publication of a huge book (weighing just under 4 kg) about this unique Indian township in the Vaal Triangle. A3 in size and printed in landscape format, the book contains 340 pages with more than 3 500 images and over 150 newspaper articles, all of which have been retyped and reset to look like originals. The forword was written by esteemed advocate Abdus-Samad Nana.
The main driving force behind this extensive project was former schoolteacher in History and Art, Roshnee resident Mr Yunus Chamda, currently managing a project for the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. Mr Chamda previously served in local government in various positions such as Mayor, Speaker and City Manager in Emfuleni and the Sedibeng District Council. For almost three decades he shared his vision of compiling Roshnee’s history with two friends, Essop Gathoo (who sadly passed away in 2017) and Haroun Pochee, and after literally years of hard work, the book is now a reality – a legacy that can be enjoyed by generations to come.
Yunus moved to Roshnee as a young boy in 1972. His grandparents were among the first group of 87 families that moved there in 1968 after the small town was established – a forced implementation of the Group Areas Act.
“Roshnee is a typical product of separate development. It is almost wholly Indian. That defines its ethos and cultural character. I grew up there and have been blessed to enjoy the wonderful social life it offers, a real strong sense of community,” says Yunus.
“The history of every community, its captivating personalities and defining events are important and fascinating. The Roshnee community can actually trace its roots back to the early 1900s in Vereeniging.
“When Roshnee was established in 1968, the first houses were very basic. A few homes were built by owners who could afford a larger plot and a larger, well finished house. Today if you drive past the first 87 houses it is remarkable to see just how families took great pride in their homes and altered them to suit the family needs, and I guess it also reflects improved circumstances. Many of those homes were occupied by working-class families and many have worked hard to become business owners and professionals. The community has always been a close-knit family and thankfully that has not changed.”
For Yunus, the level of community service by Roshnee’s residents is remarkable. “My dedication in the book is to the men and women who have placed the interest of the other above the self, and thereby built a community. The images throughout the book bear testimony to this ethos,” says Yunus. “There are so many local community histories to record. I hope someday, alongside my book, there will be local histories of the Afrikaner, Greek, Portuguese and other linguistic communities of the Vaal as well as those of the communities of Sharpeville, Evaton, Rustervaal, etc. Locals should not waste time; they must get started.”
* The first edition of the book has sold out immediately but anyone interested can read more about the project at this link: https://www.ych.co.za/new-page-2
Archive photo dating back to 1954: Vereeniging’s Central Business District, where Indian business people still play such an enormous role in keeping the city’s economical wheels turning.
Yunus Chamda at the recent official launch of the book.
