Cape Origins: Zubeida Joseph 1903

Zubeida Joseph was born in Morris Street, 13 December 1903.

My mother was a very beautiful woman and there was a sheikh from Saudi Arabia who wanted to marry her, but she was already married to my father. My father wasn’t a pretty polly but that time it was about what you know about deen that made the women go for them or if someone had a good trade. (Achmat)

My mother was the originator of the flat loaf. It goes into the stove, then she would take the ritjie to check if it has baked through, she told us to flip the plaatjie. If you flip it it will rise, creating the dome. We would put a brick on the plaatjie and it would be very flat. Winner Bakery in wale street, my mummy used to make cale for them and decorate the cake and sell it there. They came to fetch the decorated cake – they saw the flat loaf and then the next day they also had the flat loaf. (Goosain)

The neighbour's wife was a lovely lady. Once she went to buy jam and when he saw he asked her who told you to buy jam?! Go take it away again! My mother didn’t want her to have to take it away so she would buy it from her (Gasant)

Maternal Grandmother

My mother's mother – I don’t know much. I think she was an Afrikaaner. She passed away very early. She must have been fair (of complexion) because Boppa wasn’t fair, but some of their children were. (Gasant)

Maternal grandfather (Boppa)

Rashad wasn’t there, so Boppa came to fetch me to get manure. I took a little van and went with him. I was told take any amount of bags that I could carry. The bags were light so I took 6, but I didn’t know it was for manure and that was heavy! I could only carry one ! (Achmat)

My Boppa stayed mostly with my mother’s family. They stayed in Pepper street and we lived in Sachs street, but they never came because they were cross! My father married their beautiful daughter. She could have had a sheikh from Saudi and he wasn’t a pretty polly and came from nowhere. (Achmat)

We had to buy snuff for Boppa at the bottom of Caledon street by Stemmet Tobacconists. We had to run up and down in record time – if the spit on the ground was dry when we arrived we would get a wack with his kierie . (Goosain)

We had to fetch Boppa's old friend, Pang Majiet, living at the top of Bryant street to sit with him on the bankie built around a pepper tree opposite his house at no 30 Upper Pepper street. (Goosain)

Every labarang we had to go to London road in Salt River to say salaams and slamat to Boppa's brother, Boeta Soppie. He would check up by asking us what colour thobe Boeta Soppie was wearing. It was quite a long walk to Salt River and back! (Goosain)

Boppa informed us about Barney Barnato, the mining mogul after Cecil John Rhodes. Our relative Sies Koelie Samie’s father was the trusted cab driver of Barney Barnato. He was the first to know that Barney was to divorce his wife ! (Goosain)

Joseph children

One handsome chap, who died in 1907 from the 1900 epidemic of smallpox.

Zubeida born 1903.

Boo Joseph. He lived in Pepper street. He was very fair (of complexion). His wife was also very fair with green eyes. When she was pregnant, one day they were waiting for the bus, they couldn’t take a "whites" bus, so they waited for the "coloureds" bus - when they saw it approaching they put out their hand, but since they were fair the bus driver didn’t want to stop for them cos he thought they were white!

Ammie lived in Wale street. We used to see them often

One sister married Boeta Maliek from PE, she died and they didn’t have kids. They lived in Leeuwen street then Buitengracht street.

Ammatie got married late in life and she didn't have any children.

(Gasant)