One Hundred Years of Fire and Pride

Article taken from : The Star, January 07, 2004
Author: Kenosi Modisane

Throughout the apartheid years, Evaton - a tiny settlement in the Vaal Triangle - fought and survived the malicious intent of the National Party government to strip black people of their land rights.

		Evaton Community Members

Now, 100 years since it was first established, the defiant people of Evaton, which is situated close to Vanderbijlpark, have good reason to celebrate their triumph with a mammoth centenary celebration, the theme of which will be centred around the rejuvenation of economic activities in the former "slum", as it was referred to by the previous government.

If all goes according to plan, Evaton will be transformed into a major tourist destination. And all this rests on the shoulders of the Evaton Regeneration Project, a community-based Section 21 company, which is in partnership with Emfuleni Local Municipality.

"A plan for the re-development and marketing of market places, schools, hospitals, restaurants, nightclubs and sports fields has already been produced," says Tladi Kekana, one of the co-ordinators.

"We are aware of the mammoth task facing us. We, however, are prepared for this and hope to make this year - the 100th year of Evaton - a success."

Evaton residents were foremost in the campaign for property rights among black people in South Africa. Residents were also instrumental in organising the protest march in nearby Sharpeville in 1960, in which 69 people were shot dead.

The area has produced outstanding citizens who include Pansy Tlakula, chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission; the late Charlotte Maxeke who, according to Kekana, was the first woman from the area to study abroad and obtain a Bachelor of Science degree; struggle stalwart Duma Nokwe (South Africa's first black advocate and former secretary-general of the ANC); and many others.

The Star's long-serving and famed photographer, Alf Khumalo, is also a product of Evaton.

"That's one of the most vibrant places to live," he says. "In fact, the list of great South Africans who hail form Evaton is endless."

One of the most famous landmarks in Evaton is the McCamel church which was popular because of its support for liberation organisations. The current priest, the Rev Lord McCamel, has been at the helm since he took over from his late father in the mid-1970s.

Evaton was also home to the world renowned Wilberforce Teacher Training Institute, which was established by the United States-based African Methodist Episcopal Church in the early 1900s.

The late Rev Lord McCamel in front of McCamel's Church in Evaton

This institution has produced many of South Africa's educators and current leaders.

However, Evaton's unique status, allowing private ownership of land by black people, made it a thorn in the apartheid government's side.

"The previous government tried various plans to drive residents out of the area. The NP government made it virtually illegal for residents to maintain and develop their plots," says Kekana.

"High taxes were imposed on residents. Taxes were in turn diverted to develop surrounding townships and homelands. Land for expansion was taken away, along with the Evaton Community Trust Fund and equipment for road construction and maintenance.

"This led to the neglect and ultimate dilapidation of the area, with poverty and crime on the increase. This assault on Evaton became particularly intense during the historic bus-boycott of the mid-1950s, commonly referred to as 'Azikhwelwa'.

"The boycott had been triggered by an increase in local commuter bus fare to and from Johannesburg. Residents felt that the increase was politically motivated and designed to hike the cost of living in the area,'' Kekana says.

Migrant workers from Lesotho were recruited from mining compounds across the gold reef area and mobilised to crush the boycott. Evaton was plunged into a state of terror as migrant workers, the so-called "Ma Russia", attacked residents in the streets and in their homes, murdering, kidnapping, raping, and plundering - often under police escort.

The terror campaign against Evaton residents continued long after the end of the bus boycott, as "Ma-Russia" established themselves in the community through forced occupation of private land, effectively turning the area into their political dominion.

Many would also descend upon Evaton from Lesotho and surrounding mining compounds during weekends, ostensibly to pay homage and dues to their local regent chiefs, but also to engage in faction fights, prostitution and economic plunder.

"Ma-Russia" severely destabilised the Evaton community and caused many residents to flee, with many settling in Soweto - but at a considerable loss in terms of property, economic wellbeing and family ties.

The bus boycott turned out to be an historic watershed in South African politics, as it later spread to Alexandra township, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal.

It also set the tone for a future militant struggle among black people and among Evaton residents in particular.

Churches in Evaton, too, played a critical role in negotiation with officials and representing issues crucial to the community, such as working for the release of detainees.

Churches also activately participated in the mobilisation of the people as they provided a central meeting point.

During his visit to Evaton in 2002, President Thabo Mbeki highlighted the pivotal role of Evaton in the national liberation struggle when he referred to Evaton as "Ikhaya Lomzabalazo", meaning cradle of the struggle.

Now that cradle is destined for more great things. With a conservative projected estimate of 1-million visitors annually, Evaton is expected to generate an estimated 125 000 permanent jobs and achieve a business turnover of about R3,78-billion a year.

Property owners will have a rental gross income of R960-million or R240 000 for individual plots a year. Local rates and taxes will generate about R720-million a year.

Evaton House constructed from mud

Housing upgrades in the Evaton Community

Further benefits for the region will be realised through environmental clean-ups and broad-based development, including tourism around both the Vaal River and Vaal Dam. This will also have the effect of supporting both planned and future development projects in the region.

Townships in the region are also expected to realise improved social and economic conditions, as many homes will be transformed into guesthouses and mini-factories - curbing levels of crime and poverty.

The Sharpeville Monument, the Hector Peterson Memorial in Soweto, the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, and the proposed Freedom Park in Pretoria will all be used to teach people about Evaton's remarkable history.