They’ve stood the test of time and over the weekend, the Young Men Sporting Club celebrated 80 years in existence.
The team has its roots in District Six and over the years has won many trophies.
The Young Men Sporting Club was established in 1938 in the vibrant area of the “Dry Docks”. But after the Group Areas Act of 1966, the club was thrown out of Die Ses and relocated to Lentegeur in Mitchells Plain.
President and musical director, Abduraghmaan Morris, 61, says the club was started by three families and managed to survive a world war and apartheid.
STALWART: Abduraghmaan and Faiza Morris. Photo: Supplied
Morris has been a member for 34 years, and has been in his current position for 16 years.
“The club was started by the Abrahams, Diedericks and January families. Members of the three families are still a part of the choir today,” he explains.
“The aim of the choir was to establish a sense of brotherhood and camaraderie, and also to commemorate the Nederlandse liedere.
“The choir is a symbol of our heritage that stood the test of time. It has stood through the World War in 1939, the 1950s Apartheid era and the Group Areas Act,” Morris says proudly.
The choir celebrated their milestone with a gala masquerade dinner at Barrons Estate in Ottery on Friday, and over 400 people attended.
CELEBRATE: The choir celebrated their milestone with a gala masquerade dinner. Video: Supplied
“Guests at the event were served a three-course meal, they were entertained by Novacaine The Band, whose members also belong to the choir.
“Everyone was dressed to impress and stuck to the theme of the event. As a choir, we
performed the song Roosa,” Morris explains.
He says the club will continue its legacy of preserving Malay choir heritage for future generations.
“We participate in Cape Malay competitions, and earlier this year we won many trophies.
“We hold rehearsals throughout the year. We are promoting the club to our youth as this has been passed down from generation to generation,” Morris says.
“We’re building a future for our youth. We teach them to sing and play musical instruments as the legacy is for them to carry forth.”