Ebrahim Boyce
Ebrahim Boyce was born on 13 September 1942, to Atiyyah Abrahams and Said Boyce. Ebrahim lived at 5 Second Avenue, then the City Council changed the numbering and their house number changed to 26 Second Ave. Ebrahim attended Tafalar Primary and Oaklands High. When he walked to Oaklands, he would walk through Ghost town which is where Kenilworth Centre is located.
Ebrahim’s oldest brother was his passport to many things, all he needed to say is “Ek is Salie Boyce se broertjie”. Salie loved movies with Al Johnson, the singer who painted his face black. Many of Al Johnson songs became Klopse songs, “You walk a million miles with one of your smiles”. Salie was the muathin/bilal (calls people to mosque), when he recited from the minaret of the Harvey Road Mosque, you could him on the far end of Second Avenue, this was before loudspeakers. During Ramadan, there was Boeta “Bakar” Abubakar in Leicester Street, who would wave a white towel in the street so those who couldn’t hear further down, would know they could break their fast.
Ebrahim’s Uncle, Was The Man Who Danced On Sticks On New Year With The Klopse. He Wore A Short Dress That Hid His Feet, If He Needed To Rest He Would Lean Against Electricity Pole. There Was Different Klopse Teams In Claremont. Ebrahim’s Brother, Salie Boyce And His Friend, Sedick Started A Klops Called Coronations. There Was Tony In Princess Street With His Klopse Team, In Top Claremont Esa En Gamieta From The Orpheum Who Had A Team. Besides The Klopse There Was The Choirs Like The Happies.
The bioscopes were the venue for the “idols competitions”. There was the Orpheum in Claremont, Gaiety Wynberg and Broadway in Lansdowne. Back then, American movies were popular, Ebrahim’s father-in-law loved John Wayne. If there was a John Wayne movie playing, then Aunty Gawa who worked at the Orpheum, would keep his father-in-law a ticket aside. Ebrahim’s father-in-law liked going to mosque at the Abderoufs, Claremont Main Road Mosque, on weekends he would attend for Magrieb and stay until after Eshaai.
The neighbours were Boeta Hottie, Boeta Ismail (Maai) dik olap with his big stoep, Hatta Siera (whose daughter, Aysa married a Stemmet /Geelbek), Noor & Gadija, Braimpie, Junain, Moontjie, Ou Boet who played in bass, Ali Abbas, Boeta Dol & Sis Tiema Carelse, Boeta Hakkie furniture. Boeta Amien Kemp, he had two wives living in the same house without argument, today that would probably be cause for murder. Fatima (Fata) Kemp was a good friend of Ebrahim. Everyone knew each other in Claremont, on Eid the children would go wish everyone so that they could get as much money was possible, “olap tyd”. The residents of Claremont had a range of nicknames like Salie Slootjie.
Ebrahim married Salma Citie on his birthday in 1970. They got engaged 40days after his father’s death. Ebrahim and Salma would go to see three movies in the Luxurama in Wynberg and would walk home safely via Rosmead Avenue after midnight. Salma Citie was from Durham Ave, next to the church. Ebrahim and Salma were childhood sweethearts. Ebrahim always pulled her plaits and she would tell him to go away. The wedding ceremony took place in Harvey Rd Masjid. Ebrahim had four bridegrooms. He rented a car, Pontiac Parisienne, for the day from Boeta Maan “Geelbek” Stemmet for R25. Ebrahim’s reception was in Lansdowne and Salma’s reception was in Wynberg. Ebrahim and Salma’s bridal room was at Salma’s sister’s (Aziza and Suliaman Fataar) home in Welby Road, Greenhaven. The rent was R9 per week. Ebrahim and Salma applied to the Council for a house and was allocate a house in Belhar at R65 per month rent on a 25yr plan.
When they were forcibly removed Ebrahim was still courting his wife Salama Citie. It was heartbreaking to see people’s getting almost nothing for their homes from the property agents such as Paramont Auctioneers. They moved in to Storm River Way in Manenberg. People were mostly moved to Manenberg, Hanover Park, Heideveld.and Parktown. When they moved to Manenberg, Ebrahim’s brother, Abdullah (Dullah) remained in 2nd Avenue with his wife. The house allocated to them in Manenberg was a two room place, the kitchen and one-bedroom room which was attached to another house. Ebrahim cannot understand why the government wanted to belittle them in this way, they knew people had families and children. This resulted in families having to put up shacks in the backyards. The rules stated that if Ebrahim married, he could not live with his mother.
Ebrahim and Salma had four children: two daughters: Fatima & Salwa, two sons: Faheem & Rafeeq. Salma, Fatima and Rafeeq has passed on. Ebrahim still resides in their home in Belhar.
