Act 2 - Scene 7
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 June 2019
Summary
(The Cast sing ‘Boph’ umthwalo’ as they enter.)
Boph’ umthwalo
sigoduke (4)
Siya’ shiya
iKofifi (4)
(We pack up and we leave (4)
We're leaving Sophiatown) (4)
(As the Cast sing, they slowly place a lifetime's furniture and possessions in a pile around JAKES's desk. The old bath is carefully laid on its side. MAMARITI climbs onto her chair which has been placed on top of an old tin trunk. The other members of the Cast each take up a special position and recite their monologues over the singing. The stage becomes very quiet, only the hum of the song remaining. The lighting is moody. Faces are picked out by spotlights.)
MAMARITI: The day they moved us out, it was the day the big rains fell. That was the day of the tears and the day of the Saracens.
LULU: We watched them move the first street, Toby Street, where Dr Xuma was. The rain was falling and we were only a few. The bulldozers were there knocking down the pillars of the first house. I don't remember the name of the people. That was Toby Street where Dr Xuma was - right next to Westdene. Father Huddleston, Dr Xuma, Bo Resha and Oliver Tambo were there.
MINGUS: The bulldozers bulldozed five houses: one, two, three, four, five at the same time. As they were bulldozing the houses, the lorries that were supplied by the G.G. were taking the loads out to Meadowlands.
MAMARITI: The day my house was removed, it was half-past five in the morning. I think it was on a Thursday. They knocked at my door. Three loud knocks. Five tail Dutchmen. They said the day had come. I wished for a special sign on my door, but there was none.
LULU: The lorries were waiting. Even as we packed, the labourers with the Boere were hitting the pillars of the verandah with big hammers.
MAMARITI: I said to them, I wished they could give us enough time to pack, as I was going to have my cups and my plates broken.
LULU: And they said, “ Jy praat te veel. Moenie praat nie.’ And Ma said, 1 have the right to talk for my things.’ By eight o'clock we were already moved to Meadowlands. The walls and the floors of the house were rough cement. Everything was awful and we were very much unhappy.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- SophiatownA PLAY CREATED BY JUNCTION AVENUE THEATRE COMPANY, pp. 71 - 76Publisher: Wits University PressPrint publication year: 1993