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We once had three sorghum beer halls in New Brighton township.
They were all affected by the 1976 June 16 student uprising against the Bantu education system and the marketing of sorghum beer in our communities.
These were some of the issues that made the youth stand up against the apartheid system.
Parents were taken by surprise — they could not believe that their children were able to stand together and take part in the liberation struggle.
They were not fighting Afrikaans as a language which was understood as a barrier; they were fighting the apartheid system.
Bantu Administration Boards were public administrators that were using beer halls as cash cows in our communities to maintain and sustain their financial resources.
At the time, the Port Elizabeth municipality did not allow Africans to buy liquor at bottle stores.
Bottle stores in town sold liquor to other racial groups but not to non-whites.
After 1994, sorghum beer halls in our communities were handed over to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and to our first democratically elected mayor, Nceba Faku.
What happened after that?
Some of these beer halls are underused and some are vandalised.
The Red Location beer hall was redesigned for a good purpose, and today is an affordable accommodation facility called Red Location Lodge.
The economic development, tourism and agriculture department has a responsibility to ensure that community initiatives that promote the hospitality and tourism industry in our communities are empowered and supported.
The lodge is operated and managed by local women, and it is well protected by community members.
Community involvement in supporting local government plans and strategies can build strong working relationships that create job opportunities.
A collective effort can save assets and infrastructure against vandalism.
Ownership of facilities through partnerships can be safely protected by people themselves.
In October 1976, just next to the Mendi Beer Hall in Mendi Road, a student was shot dead.
This shooting took place close to the fence, in front of customers who were drinking sorghum beer outside the hall while others were inside.
The young girl was traveling from school towards Mendi Road with her fellow students.
Some among the group were protesting against the Bantu education system and for the closure of sorghum beer halls in our communities.
After that incident, Mendi Beer Hall was vandalised and permanently closed.
May the late Nomvume Mnyazi’s soul rest in eternal peace.
Kwa Bhekile Sorghum Beer Hall, situated in KwaFord, New Brighton, an area named after the Ford Motor company in Struanway, is still standing as a symbol of underused apartheid structures.
It was earmarked by community members and the economic development, tourism and agriculture department as an economic hub for the New Brighton community.
It is taking a very long time for this dream to come through.
What a noble idea that can create jobs for unemployed young people.
The economic hub could complement the Mendi Arts Centre and the Red Location Lodge.
Not far from Kwa Bhekile Beer Hall, there was a technical high school which is now known as Ithembelihle High School.
Imagine a beer hall next to a high school.
In 1976, pupils who witnessed the shooting of their schoolmate could not believe their eyes.
Some ran away from the scene, traumatised.
Nomvume Mnyazi, a former Cowan High School pupil, was our own Hector Pieterson.
She was born in Red Location, New Brighton.
Her contribution and legacy in the liberation struggle can never be forgotten.
Cowan High School’s principal at the time, the late Frank Thonjeni, could not understand why a young girl with no firearm could be brutally killed and assaulted mercilessly.
Newell and Cowan High took part in the protest against the Bantu education system.
They were the first high schools that were established in New Brighton after communities were forcibly removed from Korsten to Red Location and McNamee village.
Today, through their collective efforts as students who fought to save family structures from collapsing and a better education system, the Mendi Beer Hall is our cultural hub known as the Mendi Arts Centre.
How I wish the KwaFord community members could collectively support and understand the importance of an economic hub in their ward next to a school.
Surely, through a partnership with the Nelson Mandela University Business School, Ithembelihle High School, the economic development tourism and agriculture department, Nafcoc, the New Brighton cluster of councillors and their ward committees together with communities, Kwa Bhekile could be a centre of African excellence.
We cannot always blame the past.
We must stand up and take full responsibility as community members for taking care of and uplifting our young people.
The Red Location Museum precinct was destroyed by our community members together with our local government leadership.
Lessons were learnt from our past experience. Some of those lessons haunt those who were the destroyers of our community assets and infrastructure.
Let’s explore opportunities and bring back our social pride for generations to come.
- Mike Pantsi, Gqeberha
