Johannesburg - It’s hard to wipe the smile off Yunus Chamda’s face.
For well over a decade, the former teacher has been working hard on a book that is very close to his heart.
And what all began in 2007 has now finally come to fruition, so it's no surprise that Chamda is overjoyed.
This week the former schoolteacher launched his long awaited book, The origins and 55-year pictorial history of Roshnee.
It is a unique publication about a small Indian community in the Vaal, in a place called Roshnee.
It is a large A3-sized book of 340 pages, which contains more than 3500 images of Roshnee, and more than 150 newspaper articles, all of which have been retyped and reset to look like originals. The book weighs just under 4kg.
Chamda, who is a former teacher of history and art, and has previously served in local government as a mayor, speaker, and city manager, moved to Roshnee as a young boy in 1972.
His grandparents were among the first group of 87 families that moved there in 1968 when the little town was established.
The Saturday Star caught up with Chamda to speak about his book as well as to chat to him about Roshnee and the fond memories he has of the tiny community in the Vaal, between Meyerton and Vereeniging.
Why did you decide on pursuing such a book?
As a former teacher of history and art, it was the convergence of these two areas of interest that coalesced to make me pursue this book. I find community history fascinating. In many ways, it mimics global history. The social, political, and economic power dynamics are very much the same. Just that it plays itself out on your doorstep. I taught photography in my art classes and always appreciated the impact of images in storytelling.
What was it like growing up there?
I was born in Johannesburg, in Fietas. I started school in Roshnee in 1972 and my parents moved here a year later. Roshnee was officially established on 20 April 1967. It was 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. I have been active in areas of education, sports, civic life, politics and the arts. Roshnee has therefore provided me with a very full and active life.
Why did you feel that it was important that people learn about the history of Roshnee?
I think that the history of every community is important and fascinating. Its captivating personalities and defining events. The Roshnee community can trace its roots back to the early 1900s. The story is interwoven with the development of South Africa, especially its politics. For a Roshnee resident, especially for young people, they can grasp the colonial, republic, apartheid and post-apartheid eras by just following the development of the community since 1900. Every community should have its community history, in whatever format.
What can people expect from the book?
They must be ready for a huge publication. This is not a book you can enjoy casually lying in bed, or to flip through in an hour. It is A3 in size, printed in a landscape format, 340 pages, full colour and divided into 13 chapters. It is best enjoyed on a coffee-table or at a table. Roshnee residents may be surprised to find themselves somewhere in the book, or at least someone in their family.
Can you talk us through some of the remarkable pictures that feature In the book?
Yes, there are indeed some remarkable images. But just to highlight a few: We have a Vereeniging Indian football team photograph from 1915, and we have all the names of the players in the photograph. There is a group photograph, in the Business Chapter, of Indian businessmen from the old Transvaal who were invited by Raleigh Cycles to the Vereeniging factory. The photograph is a stark reminder of racial segregation in 1952. I love the family photograph of the Saley family taken in 1945. It shows the typically large families that were common back then. At the age of 35, Mr Saley is sitting in the studio with his wife, sister and 10 children. The book has a few of these family groups. At an emotional level, the image of two local medical doctors at the local clinic have deep meaning for me. One of the two, Dr Akeel Thokan, passed away recently. Its an image that epitomises community service and self-sacrifice.
Can you tell us about some of the most memorable moments to have taken place in Roshnee?
The locals may recall different memorable moments. For me the handover of the keys to the first resident, Aggie Wadvalla in 1968, the captain of Vereeniging Old Boys FC lifting the Federation knockout trophy (the final was played in Durban’s Curries Fountain) has significance for Roshnee. The day Mandela came to visit in 1998, the ANC leadership at the local hall for a dinner that included Thabo Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Frene Ginwalla, Mosy Moola, Zwelenzima Vavi, in 1993.
How has the place and the community evolved?
When the community was established in 1968, the first set of houses were very basic. A few owner-built homes came up by those who could afford a larger plot and a larger, well finished house. Today if you drive by 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 economic circumstance. 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.
How special a community is it ? And what makes it so unique?
It remains a remnant of the apartheid era. It is predominantly Indian. The same as many township areas that were reserved for African, coloured people and white suburbs. Suburbs are changing in racial demographics, but townships remain very much as they were. Roshnee is special to me as any place is special to someone who grew up in an area and whose social life is embedded in that area. As for uniqueness, while there may well be other areas that have a strong community ethos even now, it does excel in the spirit of community mindedness and for people to rise above individualism and work for the greater good.
Who are some of the most important people to come out of Roshnee?
As I was moving to finalise the book I turned to someone who was closely associated with the community history project, an outstanding community leader named Haroun Pochee. I also asked Advocate Abdus-Samad Nana to contribute the foreword. These two individuals have their names on the cover. I prefer importance to be localised. Who are the important people who have made a significant contribution to the community? There are so many. The list would include pioneer families who overcame the odds to settle and build lives in Vereeniging, it would include many businessmen who fuel the community spirit with the generosity, it would include many teachers, religious leaders, sporting personalities and just plain dedicated and humble souls who have served on community organisations.
Do you believe that the book will prove to be a big hit?
Yes, with the local community. It has a narrow interest specifically, but a broader interest for communities across the country conceptually. When community members see themselves, their grandparents, their parents, their kids and grandkids in the book, they will be taken by its impact.
How long did it take you to put together the book ? And what were some of the challenges you were faced with when compiling it?
Far too long. I started working on it around 2007. Being a home-brewed, self-published effort it progressed at a snail’s pace. In 2016, I thought I could push hard to get a book ready for publication by 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of Roshnee. It proved impossible. With even intense years of work we re-branded it Roshnee-55 and its finally ready for launch. Some of the challenges? Coaxing families to dig into their photo collections. Technically, it was photo restoration. That consumed thousands of man hours of painstaking work.
How difficult a task was it finding old and historic pictures?
One will be amazed how much can be unearthed from family collections. That forgotten shoe box on the top shelf of the cupboard may hold some real gems. But some photos were found in unusual places. I visited an elderly man who runs a long-established business in Vereeniging and in casual conversation he mentioned that there was a photo stuck behind the door of his storeroom. We rescued an amazing photograph taken in 1957 by bicycle dealers who were invited to the Raleigh cycles factory. Rescue is the right word …. It was tattered and torn and took me 21 hours of restoration work to prepare it for inclusion in the book.
How is this town different from other Indian communities in Gauteng?
Roshnee is a typical Group Areas Act establishment. However, one stand-out feature is the level of community service by individuals. 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 bears testimony to this ethos.
How pleased are you to finally be in a position to launch this book?
I am relieved more than anything. 2007 was sixteen years ago. It was about time it gets done. My family played a massive part in the final effort. My kids ended up as pro bono editors. I am proud of their contribution to the final book.