SOPHIATOWN: DRAMA

Before reading:
When you read the play Sophiatown, you need to try to bring it to life! You can do this by:
 imagining what the stage looks like
 hearing the actors’ voices in your head
 imagining how they move around the stage and how they feel
 reading it aloud, and acting some scenes in your class.

Questions to think about before you read the play

1. A key theme in the play Sophiatown is whether people of different races, social classes and
professions can live together in one area or suburb. Do you think this is possible?
2. Another theme in the play is criticism of Bantu Education. From what you know about Bantu
Education, do you think education has improved in South Africa since the 1950s?
3. Exploring identity (that is, how we see ourselves and what roles we play in various
situations) is also a key theme in the play. What makes you the person you are?

Apartheid legislation timeline

The words in bold show what is mentioned in the play:
1948 – National Party wins the election. D.F. Malan Prime Minister (1948–1954).
1949 – Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act.
1950 – Immorality Act. Group Areas Act.
1952 – Introduction of passbooks for Africans. ANC launches Defiance Campaign.
1953 – Separate Amenities Act. Bantu Education Act.
1954 – H.G. Strijdom becomes Prime Minister. Native Resettlement Act.
1955 – Sophiatown forced removals due to the Native Resettlement Act. Freedom Charter adopted
by the Congress of the People.
1958 – H.F. Verwoerd becomes Prime Minister. Oliver Tambo becomes Deputy President of ANC.
1966 to 1972 – Cape Town’s District Six declared a white area and forced removal of non-white
residents.

Sophiatown in the 1950s and 1960s

In his opening speech in Act 1, Scene 1, Jakes remembers many of the places and people who lived in
Sophiatown in the early 1950s before they were forced to move. The map below shows some of the
streets in Sophiatown that are referred to in the play.

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Famous places in Sophiatown during the 1950s and 1960s:
Shebeens: The most famous shebeens were Back o’ the Moon and the Thirty-Nine Steps. People of
all races, social classes and professions met here to drink, discuss politics, listen to music and dance.
During the 1950s and 1960s, it was illegal for black people to buy or sell alcohol, or to go and drink in
bars where white people drank.

SETTING
The play is set in Sophiatown in 1955. The events take place in Mamariti’s house at 65 Gerty
Street. Her house represents all the households in Sophiatown at that time. The stage directions
indicate that the backdrop of the stage should be made up of painted images from newspapers,
magazines and photographs of Sophiatown at that time. This backdrop is meant to recreate what
was happening at that time – celebrating the exciting cultural scene of Sophiatown, and reminding
us of the violent political events that took place there. The stage shows a typical living room at
the time, with the basic furniture. This living space is ‘cramped but comfortable, suggesting care
and warmth’. Each character has a corner defined by his or her things. There are telegraph poles
placed at different points on the set. These are attached to wires which run out over the audience,
suggesting a link with the outside world.

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 SUMMARY OF THE PLAY
Jakes, Mamariti, and her daughter Lulu share a house in Sophiatown. Mamariti is the owner of the
house that is also owning a shebeen. Mingus, Mamariti’s son, and his “good-time girl”, Princess, live
nearby, as does Fahfee. Jakes is a young black journalist writing stories for Drum magazine. Without
telling the others, he places an advertisement in the magazine for a Jewish girl to live with him and
the others in the house. When Ruth Golden answers the advertisement and arrives, ready to move
in, the people in the house are surprised and, at first, not very welcoming. Jakes persuades them to
let Ruth stay.

Mingus, a gangster, who supports his family through robbery, does his best to impress and charm
Ruth. When she mentions that she likes to take baths, he finds a bathtub for her, and later he gives
her some stolen pearls. Princess is jealous and does not like Ruth.

A “special notice” is delivered to Mamariti, who is the owner of the house. It contains the terms of
the Native Resettlement Act of 1954; they are all required to vacate the house. All the houses in
Sophiatown will be demolished and all Sophiatown residents who are classified as “black” will have
to move to a new location, Meadowlands, which Fahfee says is “twenty miles from town”. They talk
about resisting the removals, but in the end the resistance comes to nothing.
The bulldozers arrive without warning, three days early, to demolish the buildings in Toby Street
where Fahfee and Mingus live. It is only a matter of time before 65 Gerty Street will be demolished
too.

The destruction of Sophiatown leads to the breakdown of all relations within the household, not
only between “white” and “black”, but also between “black” and “coloured”.
At the end of the play, the people who lived in the house and who visited it scatter to different
places and futures. Ironically, the government chose the name Triomf for the new white suburb to
be built on the rubble of Sophiatown.

SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 1

 All the characters are on stage, singing a protest song about refusing to move from
Sophiatown.
 Jakes remembers Sophiatown, the kind of people who lived there and how he used to report
on boxing matches for Drum magazine.
 Jakes agrees to write a love letter for Mingus to Princess, in exchange for a story about an
Americans gang robbery.
 Fahfee, who runs a gambling game and is a member of a group resisting the removals, tells
them about the latest plans to fight the forced removal.

This first scene “sets the stage” or prepares us for the play. This scene:
 shows the audience where and when the play is set
 introduces the main characters
 introduces some of the main themes

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In the first scene, we learn that the characters are about to be forcibly removed from their house. It
also tells of Ruth whose arrival will trigger the development of conflict between the characters.
Jakes opens the scene, acting as a kind of narrator. He presents his memories of Sophiatown as if he
is writing a story for Drum magazine. In this way, he gives us the history of Sophiatown and the
people who lived there. He also tells us about the background to the forced removals. As he relates
the story in the past tense, we realise that the actors will be acting out the characters’ past actions.
The play becomes a kind of record. It is a memorial to the people of Sophiatown, to what had
happened to them, and to how they had felt.

The opening song is a protest song against the forced removal from Sophiatown. Songs are sung by
the cast throughout the play and they are used to link scenes and events.
In this scene, the gambling game fahfee is also mentioned. This game came to South Africa in the
early 1900s with the arrival of indentured Chinese mine workers. It is composed of numbers, from 1
to 36, and each number has a name or character. If your number comes up, you are paid 36 times
the amount.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1 SCENE 1:

1. When this scene begins, the actors are singing a song in which they mention “Kofifi”.
What place are they referring to? List three other names the residents had for this place.
2. The actors sing: “Ons pola hier in Sophia”.
2.1 What does this mean in ordinary English?
2.2 What does this suggest about:
2.2.1 the time and place where the play is set
2.2.2 what is to happen to the people in this place
2.2.3 how they feel about what is to happen?

3.1 What is the function of Jakes’s character at the beginning of this scene?
3.2 How does this link with his profession?
3.3 Why does he use the past tense at the beginning of the play?
4. Explain what is meant by the word “freehold”.
5. In your own words, give three reasons why Jakes and the other characters wanted to live in
Sophiatown.
6. Jakes was paid to write stories on one particular topic.
6.1 What was this topic and who was paying his salary?
6.2 In this scene, Jakes thinks up an idea to write a new kind of story. What will this be
about? Choose the best description from the list below and explain why you chose
it.
A a white woman living in Sophiatown
B shebeens in Sophiatown
C boxers and boxing
D gangsters and crime in Sophiatown
E the latest music events in Sophiatown.
7. Why did Mingus not compose and write his letter to Princess himself?
8. What does Fahfee do for a living?
9.1 What is the difference between how Jakes and Mingus speak?

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9.2 What does this indicate about the group to which Mingus belongs?

SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 2

 Without telling his housemates, Jakes has placed an advertisement in Drum for a white,
Jewish girl to come and live with them. He is hoping to become a famous journalist by
writing a new and sensational story about a white woman living in Sophiatown.
 Ruth arrives with her luggage.
 Lulu, Mamariti, Mingus, and Fahfee are surprised. Princess shows her dislike of Ruth.
 Jakes introduces her to all the housemates and persuades them to let her stay.
 They agree on the conditions for her moving in with them. She will pay a good rent, smuggle
alcohol from town, and help Lulu with her homework.
 Mingus tries to impress her by sending Charlie to find her a bath.
 The scene ends with Jakes singing a song about cheating women, mocking romantic love.

The scene begins with Lulu reciting from William Wordsworth’s poem “Daffodils”. This English poet
lived from 1770 to 1850. In the poem, he describes an English scene, far removed from the reality
and experience of Lulu and the other characters. This is used to introduce themes linked to
education and language.

In this scene, we also begin to understand Mingus’s character. He is insecure and tries to control and
impress people, even if this behaviour hurts Princess’s feelings. From this, we get an idea of
gangsters’ attitude towards women and of relationships between gangsters and “good-time girls”
generally.

The scene also mentions Albert Luthuli, the president of the ANC from 1952 to 1967. He was
awarded the 1960 Nobel Prize for Peace for his role in the non-violent struggle against apartheid.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1, SCENE 2

1. At the beginning of the scene, Lulu is trying to learn “Daffodils” off by heart.
1.1 What is ironic about this in the context of living in Sophiatown?
1.2 What does it suggest about education at the time and about language in the play?
2. How does Princess feel about Ruth coming to live in Mamariti’s house?
3. How do you think the audience would react to Charlie’s wanting to clean Ruth’s shoes all the
time? Choose the best option below and give a reason for your answer.
A they would find it irritating
B they would find it funny and laugh at it
C they would find it boring
D they would think Charlie is clumsy.
4. What does Jakes stand to gain from having Ruth to stay?
5. Towards the end of the scene the stage directions require the actors to “set up a rhythm of
typewriters” using their “bodies and sound” while Jakes sings. Comment on this sound effect
and on what it suggests.

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SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 3
 Princess wants Ruth to leave. She and Mingus quarrel.
 First Jakes and Lulu, and then Mingus, give reasons for letting Ruth stay.
 Mingus orders Charlie to kill the dogs keeping Ruth awake and orders Jakes to give up his
room for Ruth.
 When Charlie arrives with a bathtub for Ruth, she protests.
 Jakes tells us that eventually Mamariti used the bath for brewing beer.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1, SCENE 3

1. Mention two of the reasons Princess gives why Ruth should leave the house.
2. What do you think is the real reason Princess wants Ruth out? Choose from
the options below and support your answer.
A she is afraid the police will raid the house
B she is jealous of Ruth and the attention Mingus pays Ruth
C she does not like white girls
D she does not like Jewish people.
3. “Look – you’re just an American’s tjerrie”, Mingus tells Princess. Does Princess have the
power to decide whether Ruth should stay or leave? Give a reason for your answer and
quote a sentence from the text.
4. Who was Regina Brooks? What apartheid law was she breaking in the 1950s by living in
Sophiatown?
5. In this scene, Mingus orders Charlie to do two things for Ruth.
5.1 What are these things?
5.2 What are his reasons or motives for giving these orders?
5.3 What does this tell us about his character?
5.4 What is a “Baby B”?
6. What reason does Ruth give Princess for wanting to live in Sophiatown?
7. How does Ruth react to the delivery of the bath? What does this tell us about her attitude to
living in Sophiatown?
8. What eventually happens to the bath?

SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 4

 Jakes, Mingus and Fahfee teach Ruth about living and surviving in Sophiatown.
 When Ruth objects to some of this, Mingus becomes aggressive towards her.
 Jakes and Fahfee try to lighten the atmosphere by teasing and joking with Ruth.
 Mingus aggressively insists on teaching Ruth “lang-arm” dancing.
 Jakes tries to object and Mingus becomes even more aggressive. He tells Ruth she is too soft
for the harsh and violent environment of Sophiatown.

In Scene 4, we see Ruth trying to integrate into Sophiatown’s society. We already know she is
curious to learn about life and people outside her white suburb. At first, the atmosphere is light-
hearted between her, Jakes, Fahfee and Mingus, as she tries to learn tsotsitaal. But tension appears
when Mingus becomes aggressive and tries to provoke Ruth by boasting about his and other

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gangsters’ violent treatment of women. This is one of the themes of the play. The theme of identity
is also explored here in the characters’ discussion about identity and religious beliefs, nationality,
race, language, and political views.

We hear many examples of tsotsitaal in this scene, for example, “Katz en Lourie” is tsotsitaal for
getting married. It was the name of a famous jewellery shop in down-town Johannesburg. Many
couples bought diamond rings here to become engaged. Baby Brownies and Lugers were types of
guns used by gangsters at the time. Bicycle spokes were also often used by gangsters as weapons
during robberies.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1, SCENE 4

1. What is Ruth’s attitude to learning tsotsitaal? How well do you think she learns?
2. Ruth tells them she is tired. Choose two reasons from the list below for her tiredness and
support your answer by quoting from the text.
A she does not sleep well because of barking dogs
B she is not used to sleeping in a small room
C she finds learning tsotsitaal as well as the many other things she needs to know to
live in Sophiatown too much
D she is unused to having to do without a proper bathroom
E she finds Charlie’s having to fetch things for her tiresome.
3. Fahfee says to Ruth: “Kom ons moet Katz en Lourie.”
3.1 What is Fahfee suggesting to Ruth?
3.2 Is he serious? Give a reason for your answer.
4. What do we learn about Mingus’s attitude towards women in this scene? In what ways does
his attitude differ from Ruth’s attitude?
5. Explain what Ruth means when she says: “So Nu? ... What’s Jewish? I don’t know what the
hell I am. ... Mostly I am just confused.” Choose the best option from the list below and
provide a reason for your answer:
A she does not know much about Jewish people
B it is complex to define what makes you who you are
C she does not like the Jewish religion.

SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 5

 Fahfee recites the numbers of the game fahfee, together with their symbols to Ruth.
 Ruth concentrates as she is trying to learn the game.

In this short scene, we see Ruth sitting in a chair while Fahfee stands behind her. Fahfee uses a
monotone, expressionless voice to recite the numbers of the gambling game. Ruth really wants to
learn these symbols in order to become part of Sophiatown society.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1, SCENE 5

1. Why is Ruth so desperately trying to learn the symbols of the fahfee game?
2. What does number 17 symbolise? What is the connection between this number and Ruth?

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SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 6
 Ruth offers to help Lulu to write her homework composition on “My Family”.
 Lulu tells Ruth the truth about what her mother, Mamariti, and her brother, Mingus, really
do in Sophiatown. Her mother is the shebeen queen and her brother a gangster and crook.
 Mingus and Princess enter, acting out a scene from a popular gangster movie they have just
seen.
 Fahfee tells them the forced removals of Sophiatown residents to Meadowlands will take
place soon.
 When Ruth wants to know more about the plans to resist the removals, Fahfee suspects she
may be a government spy.
 Fahfee becomes emotional when talking about his life in Sophiatown and about what it will
be like in Meadowlands.
 Mingus becomes aggressive and angry, blaming the removals on Ruth as a white person.

The theme of different kinds of truth is explored in this scene. Real events and people are contrasted
with stories and fiction. Examples of stories and fiction are Lulu’s essay about her family, Ruth’s story
about living in Sophiatown, Jakes’s stories about gangs in Sophiatown, his story about Ruth, and the
scene Mingus and Princess act out from a Hollywood gangster film.

Fahfee and Mingus’s anger also emerges in this scene. They express anger towards the government
for wanting to relocate them from where they have lived all their lives to Meadowlands. The new
place is empty and far from the city, their places of work, their community, and their cultural and
business activities, including crime and gambling.
The protest song at the end of this scene leads into to Act 1, Scene 7, where all the characters now
express their anger and defiance.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1, SCENE 6

1. What truths does Lulu tell Ruth about her mother, her brother and Princess?
2.1 What details does Ruth want Lulu to include in her composition about Mamariti and
Mingus?
2.2 What is her reason for this?
3.1 What is the name of the movie Mingus and Princess have just seen?
3.2 Why do you think this movie was so popular with gangsters in Sophiatown in the 1950s?
3.3 Why do you think Princess and Mingus act out a scene from this movie?
4. Will Fahfee’s Chinese employer be moving to Meadowlands? Give a reason for your answer.
5. At the end of this scene, Fahfee repeats “Where’s the life?” What is he suggesting about
Meadowlands and what life will be like for them there?
6. Imagine that you are directing this scene. You want to create the mood and feeling of the
characters. What kind of tone would you tell the cast to use when singing the
“Meadowlands” song at the end of the scene? How fast or slow should they sing the song?
Choose two descriptions from the options below.
A fast

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 B lively
C slow
D joyfully
E mournfully
F angry.
7. Why do the actors begin to dance when they sing the second verse of “Meadowlands”?

SUMMARY: ACT 1, SCENE 7

 Jakes proudly shows the people in the house his story about Ruth, the white girl living with
black people in a Sophiatown shebeen. It has been published in Drum.
 Ruth says the story and the descriptions of the people in it are not really true.
 Jakes says it is what people want to read.
 They decide to celebrate. Ruth produces a bottle of Jewish Friday night wine.
 They discuss Judaism, Christianity, and traditional African religion.
 They also discuss people’s different identities in terms of their religious beliefs, nationalities,
classified race groups, political views and home languages, all of which can be found in
Sophiatown.
 Mingus presents Ruth with a gift of stolen pearls and Princess is jealous.
 Ruth is shocked that the pearls are stolen. Mingus brags about a robbery he did with the
Americans.
 Lulu answers the knocking at the door and reads out the notice of their eviction from their
house and the relocation to Meadowlands they must face.

The themes of “truth vs. fiction” and identity are further developed during this scene. Jakes’s story in
Drum about a white girl living in Sophiatown is exaggerated to make people buy the magazine.
The characters discuss whether your religious beliefs make you similar or different from other
people. Ruth’s beliefs and traditional African beliefs are different as well as similar. The characters
discuss whether you are defined by your language and nationality. They realise identity can be
confusing, particularly when it comes to religious beliefs. This discussion highlights one of the main
themes: Sophiatown is a melting pot of different races, nationalities, religions, political beliefs and
languages.

In this scene, the words “confused” and “confusing” take on both negative and positive meanings.
They can mean chaotic and difficult to understand or imply a rich mixture of people of different
races, different languages and religious beliefs. Ruth tells them about the “special sign” Jewish
people place on doors to tell the angel of death to leave their houses alone. In the final scene of the
play, Mamariti remembers Ruth’s story and wishes there could be a sign on her door to tell the
police to leave the house in Gerty Street standing.
Lulu sings “Stormy Weather”. This song foreshadows, or suggests, what is going to happen at the
end of the play. On this day, there will be a thunderstorm. We also see an example of dramatic irony
in that Charlie believes he will get a house.

QUESTIONS: ACT 1, SCENE 7

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1. Jakes’s story is published in Drum magazine. Select the best option from those provided
below to sum up what the story is about:
A boxing
B forced removals of people from Sophiatown
C a white girl living in Sophiatown
D gangsters.
2. Jakes does not write “the truth” in his story. What excuse does Jakes give?
3. What does Jakes mean by a “perfect confusion”?
4. At the end of the scene, a “special notice” is delivered. What does the notice say?
5. Charlie says: “I’m going to get a house.” Explain why this is an example of dramatic irony.

SUMMARY: ACT 2, SCENE 1

 The actors sing an angry protest song against the forced removals.
 Lulu says she will not go to school anymore if there is Bantu Education. She will set up her
own school with other young people instead.
 Mingus is looking for Princess.
 Fahfee asks Mingus if the Americans gang will join in the fight against forced removals.
 Mingus is only interested in being able to rob more people on the trains when Sophiatown
residents are moved to Meadowlands.
 Charlie drags Princess into the house.
 Princess says she has a job as a photographer’s model. Mingus hits her, and tries to tear off
the dress he gave her.
 Ruth is shocked and Jakes explains that it is normal treatment for “good-time girls”.
 Ruth and Jakes each accuses the other of being out of touch with reality.

In this scene, we learn more about gangsters in Sophiatown and their values. To Mingus and the
Americans, the removals promise more opportunities for robbery. They will not join in protests. The
gangs also act violently towards women, even towards the “good-time girls” whose destituteness
made them dependent on their gangster boyfriends.

Tension between characters continues to build up as the time for the forced removals approaches.
The conflict between the forces of apartheid and the characters, as well as between the characters
themselves, becomes more intense.

The protest song reminds us of what is about to happen and the reasons why the people of
Sophiatown are refusing to move. They are strengthening their defiance by remembering previous
defiance campaigns in the form of strikes and boycotts.

QUESTIONS: ACT 2, SCENE 1

1. The stage directions at the beginning of this scene specify that the company of actors storms
onto the stage, while singing “Koloi e”. Each character shouts out their protest. What do the
words “storms” and “shouts” suggest about how the people feel at this point?
2. Who was the Strijdom that is being referred to in this scene?
3. What does “this car” symbolise in the song? Choose the best option from

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 those below and explain your answer.
A the car of the Americans gang members
B the Sophiatown taxis
C the protest movement against the forced removals
D Strijdom’s ox-wagon.
4. What are Lulu’s objections to Bantu Education?
5. Do you think all children should be taught in English, or should they be allowed to learn in
their mother tongue? Motivate your answer.
6. Look up the word “illiterate” in your dictionary. Do Ruth and Lulu mean the same thing when
they use the word? Give a reason for your answer.
7. Why does Fahfee say: “We need the Americans”?
8. Why is Mingus uninterested in this fight?
9. How has Princess managed to escape from Mingus?
10. Ruth and Jakes accuse each other to be “looking from the outside”. Do they mean the same
thing when they use this phrase? Give a reason for your answer.
11. What is Ruth mainly feeling at the end of this scene? Choose the best option from the list
below. Motivate your choice.
A happiness
B sadness
C hope
D anger
E hate
F love.

SUMMARY: ACT 2, SCENE 2 AND 3

 In Scene 2, Ruth is alone on the stage, still trying very hard to learn the fahfee numbers and
what they symbolise.
 The scene ends with the lights fading out to complete darkness.
 In Scene 3, four men, stylishly dressed according to the American fashion of the day, sing
“Bantu Bahlala”, a song expressing their feelings of belonging in Sophiatown.
 Scene 3 also ends in a blackout of the lighting.

In Scene 2, Ruth is alone on the stage. She is again trying her best to integrate into Sophiatown life,
not only learning tsotsitaal but also the “language” of Fahfee. We see her again concentrating on this
and trying her best to succeed.

In Scene 3, the four men sing and dance in a style imitating the popular group called the Manhattan
Brothers. You will remember that their music imitated American musical genres, drawing on
American ragtime, jive, swing, doo-wop, other jazz strains as well as African choral music and Zulu
harmonies.

Both these scenes remind us of the rich and varied culture of Sophiatown by including the gambling
game, the dress style and the music. At the end of each scene, the lights go out, leaving the stage in

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total darkness. This is also the case with the very last scene of the play. This darkness suggests that
all these traditions and styles died out with the destruction of Sophiatown.

QUESTIONS: ACT 2, SCENE 2 AND 3

1. Why is Ruth so keen to learn the meanings of the fahfee numbers?
2.1 Why are the four men dressed in American clothing?
2.2 Which group of people in Sophiatown liked to dress like this and why?
3. What style of music do they use to sing and dance? What does this suggest about the music
of Sophiatown in the 1950s?
4. The lights fade into blackness at the end of each of these scenes. What does this suggest
about what is going to happen to Sophiatown and its people?

SUMMARY: ACT 2, SCENE 4

 Mingus catches Ruth secretly reading one of Jakes’s Drum stories.
 He becomes aggressive and insulting, and makes sexual advances towards her.
 She manages to escape.
 Mingus shouts rude insults after her.

In this scene, Mingus tries to control Ruth in the same way he and other gangsters control women.
He tries to humiliate her by his sexual advances and takes out his anger, frustrations and insecurities
on her. She tries politely to keep him at a distance, which only angers him further. He ends up acting
as insulting towards her as possible.

QUESTIONS: ACT 2, SCENE 4

1. Where has Mingus just been?
2. Choose two options from the list below that best describe Mingus’s attitude and behaviour
towards Ruth. Quote words or phrases from the scene to support your answer. Check the
meanings of the words in your dictionary, if necessary.
A affectionate
B insulting
C aggressive
D respectful
E approving.
3. From what you know about Mingus’s character, what reason would you give for his
behaviour and attitude towards Ruth?
4. Choose one word from the list below to describe how you would have felt at the end of this
scene, if you had been Ruth? Give a reason for your choice.
A sad
B ashamed
C guilty
D angry
E glad

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 F humiliated
G flattered.

SUMMARY: ACT2, SCENE 5

 The bulldozers turned up three days early, without warning, to demolish the houses in Toby
Street where Mingus and Fahfee lived.
 Fahfee and Mingus arrive at Mamariti’s house. Fahfee has all his possessions in a suitcase.
 Mingus’s boxes are packed with stolen goods from his now demolished storeroom.
 When Jakes and Ruth ask what has happened, Mingus becomes angry and insulting to both
of them.
 He accuses Ruth of being one of the white people responsible for demolishing Sophiatown.
 Fahfee points out that Mingus and his gang have done nothing to stop the removals.
 Princess leaves to live in Hillbrow with her new photographer boyfriend.

In this scene, we see how each character responds to the arrival of the bulldozers individually. They
start blaming each other, using illogical arguments based on anger and feelings of helplessness. The
characters express their frustrations and feelings. The conflict is now at its most intense. This is true
for the conflict between characters and within the characters, between what they want and what is
happening to them. Note that props in this scene are used to act as symbols of what is happening to
the characters. There are Fahfee and Princess’s suitcases, Mingus’s boxes and the bath.

QUESTIONS: ACT 2, SCENE 5

1. What has just happened to Fahfee?
2. What kind of resistance does Fahfee want to see against the forced removals?
Choose one of the options below and support your choice with a quote from the text.
A writing letters, or petitions, to the authorities
B violent resistance
C passive resistance.
3. How does Mingus feel? Choose two options from the list below.
A sad to leave Sophiatown
B very angry at the government and white people
C happy that they are going to Meadowlands at last, because he and his gang can rob
people on the trains
D bitter that he has lost his house and storeroom
E understanding about the pointlessness of complaining.
4. Do you think Mingus is fair towards Ruth when he blames her for the demolition of their
houses? Explain your opinion.
5.1 Who defends Ruth against Mingus?
5.2 Who does this person think Mingus should blame instead of Ruth? Why?
6. Jakes accuses Mingus of not doing anything to stop the destruction of their homes.
6.1 What reason does Mingus give for the inaction of his gang?
6.2 Do you agree with or approve of Mingus’s reason?

13
7. Jakes says “nothing has happened”. Does this mean he refuses to believe what has
happened? Explain clearly what he means.

SUMMARY: ACT 2, SCENE 6

 Mingus and Charlie are preparing to load boxes of stolen goods onto a truck to take to
Meadowlands.
 Mingus makes it clear to Charlie that he will not be coming with Mingus to Meadowlands,
although Charlie begs him to allow him to come.
 In the end, Mingus tells Charlie the reason he cannot go to Meadowlands is because he is
classified as “coloured”.
 Ruth realises she can no longer stay in Sophiatown, which is being demolished. She also
cannot go with the others to Meadowlands, because she is classified as “white”.
 She says goodbye to Jakes and admits that she has feelings for him.
 Jakes makes it clear he cannot have a relationship with a white girl while the struggle against
apartheid continues.

The ideas of loss and losing are repeated in this scene. In addition to their houses, the characters
have lost:
 the fight against the apartheid government and the forced removals
 their futures (Mamariti as a shebeen queen, Fahfee as a runner of a gambling game, and so
on)
 their community
 their identities as human beings.

The racial classification of the characters under the apartheid laws shapes their identities and fates.
They become victims of this. For example, Ruth cannot go with the others to Meadowlands, because
she is officially “white”. Neither can Charlie go, because he is “coloured”.

Mingus asks: “Charlie do you know who you are?” Charlie, who has barely said anything throughout
the play, replies that he is a human being, not Mingus’s slave or trained dog. He affirms: “I am a
man” and “I’m Charlie”. Ruth surprisingly chooses not to return to Yeoville, although she does not
know where she will go. The others seem to be paralysed and trapped. They let themselves become
victims. Jakes places himself apart as an observer and recorder. He distances himself from what has
happened, from the people with whom he has once lived and from a possible love relationship. This
has been foreshadowed in Act 1, Scene 2 where Jakes says: “I was keeping my distance, as always,
just watching.”

QUESIONS: ACT 2, SCENE 6

1. Which three of the eight characters did not go with the others to Meadowlands in the end?
What were the reasons?
2. Mingus sees that going to Meadowlands could be advantageous to himself and the
Americans. Explain how.
3. When Charlie says: “I am a man!”, what is he really saying to Mingus and why?

14
4. What does Ruth decide to do in the end? Choose the best option from the list below. Explain
what she thinks.
A she will move to Meadowlands with the other housemates
B she does not know where she will go
C she will go back to Yeoville
D she will leave South Africa with Jakes.
5.1 How does Ruth feel about Jakes?
5.2 Describe how you would you feel if you were Ruth when Jakes says: “I’m not letting some
white girl put her hands round my heart when she feels like it.”
5.3 What do you think of the way Jakes has treated Ruth?

SUMMARY: ACT 2, SCENE 7

 Each of the five remaining characters tells about their memory of the day of the forced
removal. They say how quickly and ruthlessly the government bulldozers demolished their
houses.
 At the end of the scene Jakes tells us what would finally happen to each of the people who
used to live at 65 Gerty Street and in Toby Street.

In this scene, the symbolism is very clear. The symbols relate to props seen throughout the play,
such as:
 The furniture: A lifetime’s furniture is piled in disorder around Jakes’s desk. The desk itself
symbolises writing. And the writing of the story symbolises the loss of Sophiatown.
 The bath: It is on its side and can no longer be used to brew alcohol. This was Mamariti’s
reason for living. And Charlie is found dead lying over the upturned bath.
 The special sign on doors: This symbol echoes Ruth’s words in Act 1, Scene 7. It reflects the
need of Sophiatown residents for spiritual and moral protection, for their right to live in their
homes.
 The telegraph poles: These poles are normally a means of communication, but are now used
to communicate rage and resistance.
 Tears: They represent the raindrops falling on the day the bulldozers came to demolish the
Sophiatown homes. They also represent the sadness and grief of all the people who had to
leave and who lost their homes and way of life.
 Thunder: This suggests both the sound and power of a thunderstorm as well as the sound of
the lorries and bulldozers that came to flatten the houses. The literal and symbolic thunder
caused rain and tears to flow and it raised dust and clouds from the earth as Sophiatown
was demolished.
 Dust: This refers to the dust from the demolition of the houses in Sophiatown as well as
from the barren dusty Meadowlands. Dust is also generally associated with death as in the
phrase “from dust to dust”.

In this scene, we see and come to understand Charlie’s character very well. He was the clown who
was treated like a slave or an obedient dog. In the end, he has no home and no real identity, and he
dies in the rubble of the Gerty Street house.

15
The song sung at the end of this scene is one of mourning, the type usually heard at funerals. The
lighting in this scene, as elsewhere in the play, is used to create the mood. The stage fades to black,
suggesting darkness, the end of life and light, the death of Sophiatown.

QUESTIONS: ACT 2, SCENE 7

1. Read the stage directions at the beginning of this scene carefully. Try to imagine the stage,
how the props are arranged, where the actors are on the stage, the “hum of the song” and
the lighting. What do these elements suggest about what has happened to the people in the
play and how it has happened? Discuss each element (props – actors – song – lighting)
separately.
2.1 Explain what sign Mamariti is referring to when she says: “I wished for a special sign on my
door.”
2.2 Why does she compare this sign with the sign Ruth spoke about? What do they have in
common?
3. Explain the effect on the audience of Charlie’s hitting the telegraph poles.
4. The stage directions specify that the five characters stand in a group resembling “a family
portrait”.
4.1 What does this suggest about the relationships that existed between these people
when they lived in Sophiatown?
4.2 How did these relationships change?
5. Explain the irony of the government’s renaming Sophiatown “Triomf”.
6. What does the cancer metaphor in Jakes’s last speech suggest?
7. What happened to the people who lived at and visited 65 Gerty Street after its demolition?
Copy the table below and write the name of the character (Mingus – Mamariti – Princess –
Fahfee – Lulu – Charlie – Ruth) next to the correct description in the table.

Name of character What happened to her or him

died of grief and a broken heart

did not finish her education
was murdered and died in the rubble of the Gerty Street house
disappeared and the others were not able to keep contact with her
went to prison where he trained as a plumber
probably joined Umkhonto we Sizwe
went to live in Hillbrow with her Dutch photographer boyfriend

8. In the last scene it is said that “Memory is a weapon”.

8.1 To what main theme of the play does this quotation relate? Explain clearly.
8.2 Why would this idea be a reason for the Junction Avenue Theatre Company to
create the play?
9. In what tone would you direct the cast to sing the song at the end of the play? Give a reason
for your answer.
10. At the very end of the play, what do the directions with regard to lighting suggest?

16
 ANALYSE THE PLAY

PERSONAL RESPONSE TO THE PLAY

Protest plays like Sophiatown aim at involving their audience in the story. They want to get the
audience to feel what the characters are feeling. In this case, the play wants the audience to feel the
same anger at the apartheid government the characters are feeling. Sophiatown wants the audience
to feel sadness for the loss of a place. The audience has the opportunity to imagine what it feels like
to be forced out of their homes and removed to a strange and unwelcoming place. The play allows
the audience to imagine what it must be like to lose your community and your means of making a
living. The play demonstrates the feelings of pain and loss and how these feelings are expressed in
anger.

In addition, the play introduces the complexity of analysing some of the people that might have lived
in Sophiatown. Whatever personal opinion you express about some of the issues arising in this play,
you should be prepared to argue logically and support your opinion with evidence from the play.
Being able to do this forms part of your personal response to the play.

DRAMATIC STRUCTURE

PLOT

Exposition and inciting Jakes sets the scene, describing the situation and conflict that
incident of conflict the characters in the play are facing, that is, the forced removal
from their homes. The incident that triggers the conflict
between the characters is the arrival of Ruth. We see the first
reactions of the other characters towards her. In terms of the
story and plot, Ruth’s arrival sets in motion the struggle that the
characters face. This struggle will remove them from the home
and lives they know.
Conflict begins In the play, Sophiatown, two distinct types of conflict can be
identified, namely:
1. Conflict between characters, for example between Mingus
and Ruth, or Fahfee and Jakes, or Ruth and Jakes.
2. Conflict between the characters and a situation, for example,
the characters in the play face conflict in terms of the forced
removals. We can also say that, in this play, the conflict is
between the residents of Sophiatown and the apartheid
government.

Rising action contributing to What builds up to the conflict between the main characters is
conflict and leading to climax how they, for example Jakes, Mingus and Fahfee, react to Ruth.
Ruth also reacts to them and to life in Sophiatown. The conflict
between the characters and their situation also contributes to
the rising action. There are glimpses of resistance to the coming

17
 eviction through Fahfee. As the play proceeds and the time of
the eviction draws closer, the tension rises.
Climax Act 2, Scene 5 and 6. The first evictions in Sophiatown are
shown. The bulldozers have arrived to demolish Toby Street. It is
clear the bulldozers will soon come to Gerty Street.
Falling action/ final solution The police and bulldozers are about to arrive to demolish the
(Dénouement) house in Gerty Street. The characters are powerless to stop their
eviction. Plans to resist this have failed.
Conclusion In the last scene, the characters (except for Ruth, Princess and
Charlie) remember the day their home was destroyed and they
tell about this day from their point of view. Jakes tells us what
happened to Ruth, Princess and Charlie. The song at the end
conveys a mood of sadness and mourning for what was lost.

TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DRAMATIC STRUCTURE OF THE PLAY

1. What incident acts as a trigger to set the conflict in motion?
2. What is the source of conflict between the characters?
3. What is the source of the conflict between the characters and their situation?
4. At what point does the play reach its climax?
5. Choose the best option from the list below to describe how the play ends.
Give a reason for your answer.
A a happy note
B a sad note
C a scary note.

IMAGERY AND SYMBOLISM IN THE PLAY

Plays are different from poems and novels, which are often written to be read on the page. In order
to strengthen symbolism, a play often does so through staging and the use of props. Thus, in
Sophiatown, key imagery and symbolism are conveyed through language, but also through the
staging and props as outlined below.
 The house in Gerty Street: The house symbolises, or represents, all the houses in
Sophiatown that were demolished, together with the people who were served with notices
of eviction and whose homes were demolished.
 The fahfee numbers: The numbers and symbols link with images, characters, themes, and
events in the play. For example, number 4 stands for “Dead Man”. It is also the name of the
prison where Mingus ends up. Another example is number 17, the “Diamond Lady”,
symbolising Ruth.
 Props like suitcases, boxes, the bath and Jakes’s typewriter: These also convey symbolic
meaning and are explained below in more detail.

PROPS AND SOUND DEVICES

The symbolic meaning of the props and sound devices below is important.

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  The backdrop: Images from newspapers, magazines and photographs of the period are
painted on the backdrop in the opening scene. These images create the interior of the
Mamariti household and give us an idea of the time and the place of the setting.
 Household possessions and furniture: In the opening scene, the belongings of each member
of the household symbolise aspects of their owner’s character. Where relevant, the sound
the objects make adds to the mood, tempo and atmosphere of each scene.
 Typewriter: Jakes’s typewriter is a central prop and the play frequently gives us images of
writing and of recording experiences. The sound and rhythm of typewriters at the end of Act
1, Scene 2 accompany Jakes’s song. This is done to emphasise the written word and to point
to Jakes as writer.
 The bath: The bath is a symbol for many different ideas and themes explored in the play.
Some of the associations it has are:
 The luxury and the lifestyle of middle-class white people are opposed to poor
non-white people’s lives in shacks. Ruth rejects the bath and this suggests or
symbolises her need to move away from her middle-class and privileged lifestyle to
integrate with the life in Sophiatown and to be accepted there.
 It is used to brew alcohol and thus becomes a useful part of the house and the
livelihood of Mamariti and Sophiatown.
 When the bulldozers arrive and demolish Fahfee’s shack, Jakes suggests he sleeps in
the bath under Mingus’s boxes of stolen goods. Here the bath comes to symbolise
upheaval, with everything being turned upside down.
 Later, when the bath is turned on its side and the characters are moving out, the
lopsided bath symbolises how the residents of Sophiatown are now uprooted.
 Charlie is found dead, lying over the upturned bath among the rubble of the house
in Gerty Street. This emphasises how everything has been turned upside down: the
residents’ homes, their identities, their community, and their lives. The old life is
dead and as useless as an upturned bath.
 Telegraph poles: In the first scene, they symbolise communication. Charlie’s striking of the
poles towards the end of the play emphasises the anger, resistance, energy, violence and
destruction present at the climax of the play.
 Pearl necklace: It symbolises stolen goods and the acceptance of criminal activity as part of
everyday life. A status symbol for a gangster would be an expensive luxury gift to his “good-
time girl”, who would gladly accept it. When Mingus gives the necklace to Ruth, it is a
gesture to impress her and the others watching the scene. Ruth refuses to take it at first,
indicating she does not want to be tainted by crime. When she later accepts it, the
suggestion is similar to what her learning tsotsitaal shows us. Ruth wants to become part of
the life of Sophiatown.
 Suitcases: We see the suitcases of, for example, Ruth, Fahfee, Charlie and Princess. Their
lives and identities are packed in there together with their possessions. At the beginning of
the play, Ruth brings her possessions, her life and her identity to Sophiatown. Later, the
characters’ lives are packed up when they have to move. Charlie is prevented from taking his
tattered suitcase and, by suggestion, his “tattered life” to Meadowlands by both apartheid
legislation and Mingus.

THE USE OF SONGS

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Protest songs, such as “Ons pola hier”, and songs of mourning directly address the audience and
make an appeal to them. They act as powerful relief points when the tension in the play is evident
and begins to climb. The songs, and Jakes’s telling of the story, are addressed directly at the
audience. They also provide links between events in the play or convey the moods and emotions of
characters. It is important to note that the songs, besides expressing defiance, also capture the
people of Sophiatown’s vitality, their creativity, their energy and their resilience, all of which the
government wanted to destroy.

TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE USE OF PROPS AND SONGS IN THE PLAY
1. What do the suitcases and boxes represent or suggest at various stages of the play?
2. How is the typewriter, together with the sound of typewriters, used to create a particular
effect?
3. What is the purpose of the songs in the play?

CHARACTERS

MAJOR CHARACTERS:

JAKES

1. Narrates the play.

2. Writes stories for Drum Magazine.
3. Places an advert for a white Jewish girl to come live in Sophiatown
so that he can write about her.
4. Writes a love letter to Princess for Mingus in exchange for a story
about Mingus’ gang.
5. Discusses questions of identity with Ruth.
IMPORTANT ACTIONS 6. Writes an article about Ruth living in Mamariti’s house in
Sophiatown.
7. Writes about the forced removals.
8. Rejects Ruth’s feelings for him. He tells her their different worlds
will always keep them apart.
9. Tells us what happens to the other characters at the end of the
play.
10. Comments on the cruelty of the forced removals as the last point
of the play.

He remains apart or removed from the people around him. He prefers

RELATIONSHIPS to make up stories about Ruth rather than getting to know her. He
pushes Ruth away at the end of the play. He is also in conflict with
Mingus and Fahfee because he prefers words (and writing) to action.
PHYSICAL He is a black man in his late twenties. He wears a suit and tie.
DESCRIPTION
He is educated and an intellectual. He likes to think about things and
observe things rather than to be a part of them. He speaks standard

20
 English, and doesn’t like to use Tsotsietaal. This sets him apart from
the other characters. He is ambitious and he wants to get promoted at
work. He sometimes does things that are not really right in order to get
what he wants. For example, Jakes writing the letter to Princess for
PERSONALITY TRAITS Mingus in exchange for a story about ‘The Americans’ is unethical (not
right) because Jakes knows that Mingus will mistreat Princess. Also,
when Jakes invites Ruth to live at 65 Gerty Street, it is only because
he wants to write about her. He does not allow himself to get too close
to Ruth because he is afraid of being hurt. He knows that there is little
hope for the relationship because of the segregation laws. At the end
of the play, he gets more involved in the resistance, but in his own way
– he writes about the forced removals.
His character develops over the play from being just an observer
to someone who becomes emotionally involved by writing and
commenting on the forced removals. In Act 2 Scene 7, he shows
CHANGES this feeling when he says, ‘The bitterness inside me wells up and
chokes. …’ This shows that at the end, he has stopped watching from
the sidelines. He is no longer avoiding his feelings. When the forced
removals finally happen, he feels the impact personally – he doesn’t
just see them as an opportunity for a good story.

RUTH

1. Moves from Yeoville to stay in Sophiatown to learn about and

enjoy a different culture.
2. Represents the white liberals of the time.
3. Smuggles alcohol to Mamariti and offers to help Lulu with her
schoolwork.
IMPORTANT ACTIONS 4. Tries to learn and adapt to life in Sophiatown (for example, she
tries to learn Tsotsietaal and the meaning of then fahfee numbers).
5. Rethinks her identity.
6. Avoids attention from Mingus.
7. Is attracted to Jakes and tells him that she likes him.
8. Chooses not to go back to Yeoville after the forced removals.
Ruth takes an interest in the other characters and tries to get on with
RELATIONSHIPS them all. She tries to help Lulu with her schoolwork. She tries to be
friendly with Princess. She manages to avoid Mingus’ advances. She
is attracted to Jakes and seems to understand his character very well.
Ruth is curious about other people and is interested in what others
think. She is honest and stands up for what she believes. She
is willing to take risks because she comes to live in Sophiatown.
However, she is naive and privileged. She does not realise that other
people have a lot less than the things she takes for granted. She also
PERSONALITY TRAITS doesn’t realise that others, like Princess, may have fewer choices in
life than she does. Ruth tries to adapt and learn. For example, she
accepts that she must give up luxuries like baths – she doesn’t accept
the bathtub because she doesn’t want to be treated differently from
the other people in the house. She is kind and treats Charlie as an
equal.
She is a Jewish white girl in her 20s. According to Jakes’ description
PHYSICAL of her in his magazine article, she is ‘Five foot four. Long black hair

21
DESCRIPTION pulled back in a swinging switch. A pert, comfortable figure. Curious
bright eyes.'
At first Princess calls her ‘moegoe’ (stupid) because she doesn’t
realise that the things she thinks are standard and simple (like a place
to sleep or a bathtub) are luxuries in Sophiatown. Ruth develops from
CHANGES being a curious observer to someone who understands the oppression
that people of other races face living under Apartheid. At the end, she
decides that she cannot simply return to the easy life of white people
under Apartheid.

MINGUS

1. Represents the gangsters of Sophiatown. He is a member of ‘The

Americans’ gang. He is Involved in criminal activity to support his
mother and sister.
2. Gets Jakes to write a love letter to Princess for him, in exchange
for an interview about his gang.
3. Thinks it’s acceptable to give Princess material things but be
IMPORTANT ACTIONS abusive towards her.
4. Gets Ruth a bath and gives her pearls he has stolen to impress
her.
5. Tries to seduce Ruth and acts aggressively towards her.
6. Hits Princess and tries to take his dress and jewellery back from
her.
7. Moves willingly to Meadowlands as he sees opportunity to make
money through crime.
Mingus is domineering (controlling), especially in his relationships with
women. We see that Mingus often acts in sexist ways. His treatment
RELATIONSHIPS of Princess is abusive – he talks about hitting her and at the end of
the play he does hit her on stage. He makes advances on Ruth after
trying to impress her. He gets angry with her when she refuses him.
However, he helps to support his mother and sister.
Mingus is a complex character, and we see many sides to him. We
see that Mingus is a man of action and is confrontational. He believes
that he is an ‘honest gangster’. This means he feels it is wrong to steal
from the local people – he says he only steals from the rich. He takes
chances and tries to make money out of bad situations. He can be
cruel and selfish. For example, during the stay-aways, some people
tried to go to work. Mingus and his gang robbed these people and
PERSONALITY TRAITS chased them off the trains. Then, the white authorities paid Mingus
and his gang to ride the trains, so it looked like the stay-away had not
worked.

Mingus often acts in sexist ways in his relationships with women.

He is forceful and sometimes violent towards Princess. He also acts
aggressively towards Ruth when she rejects him. Mingus knows what
he wants. He shows this when he tells Jakes what to write in the letter
to Princess. However, he is also insecure. We see this insecurity in his
desire to impress Ruth. Mingus also has a caring side. He cares about
his mother and his sister. He wants his sister to get an education. He
also shows Charlie compassion when Charlie can’t go with him to

22
 Meadowlands.
PHYSICAL He is a black man in his twenties, dressed very smartly in a suit, with a
DESCRIPTION hat pulled low over eyes.
CHANGES Mingus is a complex character as we see different sides to him, but
his character does not really change throughout the course of the play.

MINOR CHARACTERS:
MAMARITI
Mamariti is a shebeen queen and freehold owner of a house in Sophiatown. She is practical in
her outlook and tries to take advantage of opportunities. We see this when she asks Ruth to buy
alcohol for her. Mamariti represents the position of many women starting businesses to support
their families. During the forced removals, she loses her home and her identity. She dies of a
broken heart.
LULU
Lulu is a schoolgirl of 16 years old. She goes to the Mission School, but decides to leave school
to protest Bantu Education. She represents the many young people of the time who refused to
accept Bantu Education. She has strong ideas about what is right and wrong. She doesn’t like
her mother’s brewing and selling of liquor, or her brother’s stealing. She is impressed by Ruth.
She is curious about ideas of identity, language and truth. She wants to be a film star but like
many of her generation, she ends up with no education at all.
PRINCESS
Princess is the pretty ‘good-time girl’ and represents many young, uneducated women who were
dependent on others, especially on men, for survival. She is jealous of Ruth and shows her
dislike of her. Although she is abused by Mingus, she is not submissive – she escapes to Hillbrow
and then to Europe with a photographer from the Netherlands.
CHARLIE
Charlie is Mingus’s sidekick. He follows orders and hardly speaks in the play but wants to be
heard at the end, saying, ‘I am a man’. He represents the voiceless and the homeless when the
forced removals occur. He is stabbed and is found dead amongst the rubble of the house on
Gerty Street. He is one of the saddest characters in the play.
FAHFEE
Fahfee represents the activists of the time. He always brings news to the other characters,
such as news of Father Huddleston starting a protest committee, the latest plans to fight the
forced removals, and the boycott of the schools. He encourages the other characters to fight
for Sophiatown, and gets angry when other characters do nothing. In addition to foreshadowing
through bringing news, he foreshadows with the fahfee numbers as well. He teaches Ruth the
numbers and symbols of the gambling game, and he interprets and predicts events according to
the number system.

THE ROLE OF THE NARRATOR

Since Sophiatown is a workshop play, the story is not told in the same way as a novel or short story.
The story unfolds as the action develops and we “get the story” from what happens on the stage.
However, Jakes acts as a kind of narrator or commentator in the play. For example, in the first scene,
he presents part of the history of Sophiatown and, in the final scene, he reports on what finally
happened to all the people after they were evicted from their home. He also comments on
behaviour and on developments, as if he is writing an article or a short story. For example, at the end

23
of Act 1, Scene 3, Jakes tells the story of what happened to the bath that Ruth did not want. In his
opening speech in Act 1, Scene 1, Jakes deliberately invites the audience to participate in the
recreation and remembering of something that we all know is gone. Jakes begins the play with
memories of Sophiatown and he uses this past to “write” about Sophiatown. In so doing, his speech
becomes at once an act of mourning and an act of celebration and recovery, anger and protest over
what has gone forever.

TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF THE NARRATOR

1. How do we find out what happened to the characters in the play after Sophiatown was
destroyed?
2. Why does Jakes speak in the past tense at the beginning of the play?

THEMES

Memory
It is said in Act 2, Scene 7 that “Memory is a powerful weapon”. These words reflect the idea of a
time and place that has gone forever. The play itself thus becomes a memorial to Sophiatown and
the people who lived there. Memory is used as a weapon to expose the cruelty of the apartheid
government. While this government did destroy Sophiatown and did succeed in moving people to
places such as Meadowlands, it could not destroy the liveliness and energy of Sophiatown. This
remains in the memory of people. Remembering the violence and pain of the Sophiatown forced
removals also helps us to learn from the mistakes of the past, and to use this as a powerful weapon
against future injustice and unfairness to citizens in any town or any country.

Loss
The theme of loss is related to the theme of memory. Sophiatown is lost, nothing remains of it. The
play reminds us that the people of Sophiatown lost the battle against their forced removal. Note
how many times the word “lost” is used in the play. Reread Act 2, Scene 6 for one such example. The
characters do not only lose their homes, but their family, their community, their livelihoods and their
identities just like the real people from Sophiatown did between 1955 and 1968. Charlie loses his
life, as does Mamariti. The only way the people who lived in Sophiatown can recover this loss is
through memory.

Language and identity

One’s language is part of one’s identity, together with one’s place of birth, nationality, religious
beliefs and so on. In the play, the characters speak a variety of different languages and they also
discuss language and identity.
Tsotsitaal: One way in which language is used to “write” the reality of Sophiatown is by
remembering the special dialects different groups of people, particularly gangsters, used to
communicate. Dialects are the specific way people from specific areas speak and they can also show
the social class to which people belong. In other words, it is a shared form of communication within
a particular community. If you can understand and speak the dialect of a community, you can

24
understand and become part of that community. When, in Act 1, Scene 4, Ruth learns tsotsitaal, it is
a moment of discovery for her of the Sophiatown community.
Fahfee’s gambling codes: The gambling codes represent another kind of language with meanings of
a particular kind. The numbers in the game of fahfee were believed to tell people about the future,
not only about good luck, but also about approaching danger. Reread Act 2, Scene 7.
Hebrew or Yiddish: The languages and dialects of the different groups of people in Sophiatown was
evidence of the vitality of the community. In the play, this variety is contrasted with Ruth’s inability
to speak or understand Hebrew. In Sophiatown, she becomes aware of the importance of language.
She tells Jakes that it is “a terrible thing to lose a language. Imagine if I was the last person who
could speak Hebrew. When I died, those words would be gone forever”.
English and the domination of colonial languages: Lulu had to learn the poem “Daffodils” off by
heart. This reminds us how the education system under apartheid did not accommodate people’s
home languages or dialects. In the Bantu Education system, children were forced to learn in
Afrikaans up to Grade 6. Then they had to learn and pass examinations in English.
Identity: Belonging to a gang and speaking tsotsitaal gave people in places like Sophiatown a strong
sense of identity. Race, nationality, language and gender roles are all elements that define people or
shape their identity. Under apartheid, racial classification determined where one could live, who one
could marry and so on. Charlie, as a “coloured” person, and Ruth, as a “white” person could not go
with the others to Meadowlands.

Religion
This theme is also related to identity. None of the characters appears to be religious in the sense of
following a particular religious faith. For example, Ruth is Jewish and practises some Jewish
traditions or rituals, but she does not practise the religion.

Education
Lulu is critical of Bantu Education. She hates both the curriculum and being forced to learn in
Afrikaans and in English. She also hates History as a subject, because it only teaches European
history.

Truth versus fiction

In Act 1, Scene 7, Jakes admits that he has not written “the truth” in his story about Ruth and the
people living at Mamariti’s shebeen. His reason is that people who buy and read Drum would find
the truth boring. Mingus and Princess act out a scene from an American gangster movie, pretending
they are glamorous gangsters, but their reality is very different.

Diversity
The play shows us the mixture of different races, customs, social classes and languages. Diversity is
also present in tsotsitaal, which is itself a mixture of several languages.

Defiance and resistance

Defiance to the forced removals comes through clearly in the songs, especially those songs that
include the slogan “Ons dak nie, ons pola hier”. Several famous struggle leaders are mentioned in
the play. Fahfee belongs to the Transvaal Congress. The play reminds us that attempts at resisting
the forced removals failed.

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Importance of the printed word compared to the spoken word
The writing of a letter, of a school essay, of stories about the Mamariti household and about the
Sophiatown resistance, all of this directs the audience to the story the play itself is trying to tell or
record. The Junction Avenue Theatre Company set themselves the task to bring to life or “write” the
story of Sophiatown. The stories about Sophiatown in Drum magazine by writers such as Can
Themba or told by others, such as Kort Boy, are all we have left of Sophiatown.

Violence, including violence against women

Ruth finds this hard to accept as part of Sophiatown life. Mingus’s abusive and insensitive treatment
of Princess gives us a glimpse into gangster life and morality.

SAMPLE CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

Contextual question 1
Read extracts A and B from the play Sophiatown and answer the questions set on each. The marks
for each question will guide you as to how much you should write and how many points you should
include in your answer. NOTE: Answer the questions for BOTH extracts, that is, QUESTION 1.1 AND
QUESTION 1.2.

1.1 Extract A
Read the section from “MINGUS: Com’on Charlie, back off!” on page 23 to “... a room at
the back” on page 24 from Sophiatown, Act 1, Scene 2 (page references are to the
edition published in 2015 by Macmillan Education and Wits University Press).
1.1.1 Refer to the line “There’s going to be no trouble”.
Explain why Mingus expects trouble if Ruth is allowed to stay in the house. (3)
1.1.2 Refer to the line “Answered an unusual advert”.
What is the “unusual advert”? (1)
1.1.3 Give one reason why Ruth herself decided to come and live in the house in Sophiatown. (1)
1.1.4 “I assure you, Ruth – you have the best protection in the neighbourhood. Mingus here
is an American.” This is an example of dramatic irony. Explain this in terms of Mingus’s
later behaviour towards Ruth. (3)
1.1.5 Discuss the reasons why Mamariti does not speak to Ruth directly when they discuss
the financial aspects of her staying in the house. (2)
1.1.6 What are the advantages for Mamariti, Lulu and Jakes respectively if Ruth comes to live
in their house? (3)
1.1.7 Mingus “evaluates” Ruth before deciding whether she can stay. Discuss what these lines
reveal about Mingus’s character and his attitude and behaviour towards women in
general. (2)
1.1.8 Mention one incident later in the play where Mingus shows this attitude and behaviour. (1)
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AND
1.2 Extract B

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 Read the section from “JAKES: Ruth Golden – now the bath’s here ...” on page 37 to “...
always, just watching” on page 40 from Sophiatown, Act 1, Scene 3 (page references
are to the edition published in 2015 by Macmillan Education and Wits University Press).
1.2.1 Account for the arrival of the bath at the house. (1)
1.2.2 Refer to the line “RUTH: I couldn’t ...”.
(a) Why did she feel she could not use the bath? (1)
(b) What was the bath used for later? (1)
1.2.3 Refer to the song “Tobiansky” and, in particular, the lines “You gave me freehold ... title
deeds”.
(a) Which character in the play has a freehold? (1)
(b) What is a “freehold”? (1)
1.2.4 Quote one example of tsotsitaal from the song. Which group in Sophiatown used mainly
tsotsitaal to communicate, and why? (3)
1.2.5 Why do the characters sing the “Tobiansky” song at this point in the scene? (1)
1.2.6 What is the purpose of songs in the play? (2)
1.2.7 Refer to the lines “Watter nommer ... Battleship”.
(a) What does Fahfee do for a living? (1)
(b) Why will he lose this job when they have to move to Meadowlands? (1)
1.2.8 Discuss the importance of numbers in the play. (3)
1.2.9 What did Jakes see as his “big break”? (1)
1.2.10 Refer to the line “I was keeping my distance, as always, just watching”.
Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence and give a reason for your
choice.
In the play, Jakes is ...
A always involved in events and has close relationships with the other characters
B always observing rather than getting involved in relationships and events
C working as a spy for the apartheid government. (2)
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[35]

Contextual question 2
Read extracts A and B from the play Sophiatown and answer the questions set on each. The marks
for each question will guide you as to how much you should write and how many points you should
include in your answer.

2.1 Extract A
Read the section from “FAFEE: ... Words on paper ...” on page 105 to “MINGUS: I was
working” on page 106 from Sophiatown, Act 2, Scene 5 (page references are to the
edition published in 2015 by Macmillan Education and Wits University Press).
2.1.1 Refer to the line “They came three days early, like tricksters”.
(a) Who are “they”? (1)
(b) Why does Fahfee describe them as “tricksters” and “conmen”? (1)
2.1.2 Refer to the line “... Words on paper”.
What is Fahfee’s criticism of Jakes’s contribution to resisting the forced removals? (1)
2.1.3 Discuss the difference between the individual approaches of Fahfee, Jakes and Mingus

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 to the forced removals. (3)
2.1.4 Who does Mingus blame for the destruction of Sophiatown? (1)
2.1.5 In your opinion, is he being fair? Give a reason for your answer. (2)
2.1.6 Refer to the line “They went for the leaders”.
Who are the leaders? (1)
2.1.7 Refer to the line “This is only Ruth Golden”. What is Fahfee’s argument against Mingus? (2)
2.1.8 Refer to the line “MINGUS: I was working”.
(a) Explain what Mingus means by “working”? (1)
(b) What do Jakes and Fahfee think Mingus should be doing at this time? (1)
2.1.9 If you were directing this scene, what tone of voice and gestures would you suggest the
actor playing Mingus should use in his interactions with Ruth in this scene? Give reasons
for your suggestions. (3)
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AND
2.2 Extract B
Read the section from “FAFEE: ... Stone the street lamps!” on page 118 to “... and a
wasteland in-between” on page 119 from Sophiatown, Act 2, Scene 7 (page references
are to the edition published in 2015 by Macmillan Education and Wits University Press).
2.2.1 Refer to the line “... Stone the street lamps!”
(a) Who is hitting the poles? (1)
(b) Why is Fahfee ordering him to do this? (1)
2.2.2 What emotion or mood does the hitting of the poles create for the audience at this
point in the play? (1)
2.2.3 Who are the Berliners and the Americans? (1)
2.2.4 Refer to the line “The Gatas did their job”.
Explain who the Gatas were and what “job” they did. (2)
2.2.5 The stage directions ask the cast to “regroup on the stage to resemble a family portrait.”
(a) What does this suggest about the relationships between the people in the
house? (2)
(b) What does the song the actors are singing suggest about their emotions on that
day? (1)
2.2.6 What is the purpose of Jakes’s long speeches at the beginning and at the end of the
play? (2)
2.2.7 Why does Jakes speak in the past tense, after his first sentence (“This bitterness inside
me wells up and chokes”)? (1)
2.2.8 Refer to the line “We lost, and Sophiatown is rubble”. Mention two things the characters
lost besides their battle against the apartheid government’s forced removals. (2)
2.2.9 Explain the irony in the name “Triomf”. (1)
2.2.10 “Sophiatown was a cancer on a pure white city”. What does this metaphor suggest
about Sophiatown at the time the play is set? (2)
2.2.11 Refer to the line “... a wasteland in-between”. What does this metaphor suggest about
Sophiatown when looking at the greater Johannesburg area? (1)
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[35]

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 Contextual question 3

Jakes: She belongs to him, and that’s that!

Ruth: Now that I don’t understand.
Jakes: Look to be frank – there’s plenty that you’ll never understand because you’ll always be
looking from the outside.
Ruth: In that case, I’m a lot like you. You’re always looking from the outside, watching. 5
Jakes: Rubbish!
Ruth: Well, why don’t you join Fahfee? He needs you. You can’t watch forever, you know.
Jakes: When I decide the time is right, I’ll be a different person.
Ruth: I think you’re just scared.
Jakes: Well, what about you? 10
Ruth: I’m here.
Jakes: You think that is enough? If you were a princess in Princess’s position, what would you
do?
Ruth: I’d fight. There’s no question. Nobody treats me like that. I wouldn’t tolerate it.
Jakes: Mingus would beat you up.
Ruth: Well, if I were treated like that, I would just leave. 15
Jakes: Where would you go? She’s a princess from the slums – no name, no home, no
family. She’ll sleep wherever she can find a place. Now she’s got a place – she’ll stay.
The truth is, no matter where you go, if something really happens to you, you’ll go home to
Daddy or Uncle or just the whites – rich and warm and loving. It’s just another kind of laager.
[Act 2 Scene 1]

3.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in COLUMN A. Write only
the letter (A–C) next to the question number, (1-3), in your answer. (3)

COLUMN A COLUMN B
3.1.1 Jakes A. Has few choices in her life
3.1.2 Ruth B. Believes that one should fight for one’s dignity and
for a cause
3.1.3 Princess C. Thinks Ruth will take the easy way out

3.2 Why does Jakes tell Ruth ‘there’s plenty that you’ll never understand? (2)
3.3 Refer to line 5. (‘In that case, I’m a lot like you. You’re always looking from the outside’)
Explain what Ruth means when she says that she and Jakes are similar. (line 5) (2)
3.4 Refer to lines 14 – 16 (‘I’d fight. … I would just leave’).
3.4.1 Ruth says that if she were in Princess’s position, she would leave. Jakes says
Princess and ‘good-time girls’ like her don’t have many choices. Whose point of
view do you agree with? Explain your answer by referring to the play. (2)
3.4.2 What do you think of the choice Princess finally makes in the play? (1)
3.5 Is Mingus simply a violent character for whom we have no sympathy? (2)

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3.6 Refer to lines 20 – 21 (' It’s just another kind of laager’)
3.6.1 Jakes’ tone of voice in line 20 – 21 is… (1)
A. calm
B. scornful
C. frustrated
D. cautious

3.6.2 Explain why the figure of speech he uses here is effective. (2)
3.6.3 Ruth tells Jakes he also in his own kind of laager. What does she mean? (1)
3.7 Identify and discuss one theme which is evident this extract. Use a quotation from the
extract to support your answer. (3)
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