By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@flickr.
The Eyethu Cinema in Mofolo section of Soweto in Johannesburg ,seems to be marking an end of an era for the historic building that stood as the symbol of black film and cultural pride.
The cinema, where the independently all-black cast movie Joe Bullet released in 1973 premiered, before promptly being banned by the apartheid government after two screenings.
Eyethu was not only where liberal film distributors in the 1970s held debuts of major black Hollywood movies like The Wild Geese.
It’s an era that was effectively killed by the multi-screen movie houses which, in the past, were not open to black people. Racially integrated entertainment spaces also marked the end of backroom township movie theatres, where an enterprising businessman could rent a 16mm film and show it in his garage.
It seems that the old era is gone forever; Eyethu is making way to the shopping centre.
The development will comprise of approximately 8 000m² of prime convenience retail anchored by Shoprite Supermarket, Clicks Pharmacy and OBC Chicken which will be supplemented by a mix of national fashion retailers, with great food offerings and Drive Through’s.
The shopping centre will accommodate the existing SME operators in the area, create jobs and revive the local economy. Scheduled to open in the Second Quarter of 2022.
The original Eyethu Cinema in Mofolo was a legendary meeting place for movie goers and an important cultural venue. The 1988 film, Mapansula, one of the first to use black actors to tell the story of black South Africans under apartheid, was shot in the township – as many other movies have been.
The area has spawned several important South African movie talents such as directors Dumisani Phakathi and Vincent Maloyi and actors Menzi Ngubane,and Sello Maake Ka-Ncube etc.
Meawhile the department of arts and culture in the city of Johannesburg has cleared the air on claims it approved the demolition of the Eyethu Cinema.
“According to the [National] Heritage [Resources] Act, approval by the heritage authority is required for the demolition, improvement or otherwise of a structure that has any heritage significance, including the ones over 60 years that will be impacted upon by any development,” it said in a statement.
The department confirmed it received an application through the provincial heritage resources authority of Gauteng (PHRA-G) but it has not been approved due to the “complexity” of the matter and outstanding documentation.
PHRA-G finds Eyethu Cinema a significant heritage, cultural and social site with possibilities of restoration, hence the matter is being handled with the required diligence and sensitivity,” said the department, adding that no decision would be taken without public engagement and extensive engagements with relevant stakeholders.