by Nazeem Davids
Shelly Road was synonymous with the term “Oujaarsaand”.
If you wanted to sit down and listen to lekker Malay choir Nederlandse liedjies and moppies, you would take your snacks and camper chairs, and go and spend your New Year’s Eve at the Blackpool Hall in Shelley Road, Salt River.
Young and old would spend the night listening to the choirs singing and then rendering their liedjies.
All the armchair judges and nagtroep elders would offer their judgement and opinions as to who was the best on the night.
Shelley Road was a gathering of joy and friends for many of our oumense. Sheltered from the elements, they could relax and socialise, all while enjoying the top-notch entertainment.
Then Covid-19 and the City of Cape Town hit Shelley Road.
The late Shahied Jacobs and Mogamat Armien, Abduragmaan Tassiem, Abduragiem Bassier, and the Rossier sisters, Saygah, Faeeza and Faldelah first hosted festivities in Shelley Road 25 years ago.
Faried Adams, Jawaya Bassier, Mariam Adams and Rukeya Kabley all played a massive role, with Adiel and Ebrahim Kabley as the sound engineers.
The initiative very quickly became a fixture on the Malay choir calendar. Oujaarsaand was not completed, if you were not at Shelley Road.
Any self-respecting Malay choir fans had to put in an appearance. Nagtroepe rehearsed their songs for the stage. Jy kan nie jouself in die oë gaansit by Shelley Road nie!
But after 20 years, the Covid-19 pandemic stopped all activities.
When the organisers tried to restart the tradition after the pandemic, they were informed by the City that the gathering was considered to be an event and that proper disaster management regulations had to be adhered to from then on.
They needed public liability cover, proper parking plans, security, medical and traffic plans.
It was no longer a community gathering to celebrate a centuries old culture and tradition. No more simple koesister and samoosa stands. Everything, according to regulation.
But some Salt River residents are adamant that Shelley Road’s festivities will be restored.
Boeta Adiel says: “Of course moet ons Oujaarsaand ophou! Waar moet onse oumense gaan?”
To make things easier this year, the Shelley Road committee has partnered with the Cape Malay Choir Board to host the much-loved get-together.
Shelley Road will be part of the overall Cape Malay Choir Board Oujaarsaand footprint and a formal completed event application has been submitted and the organising committee is very confident that the application will be successful this year, in time to ring in the new year.
On Sunday, 15 December, 2024, the committee held a well-attended fundraiser for their kitty for Oujaarsaand.
Donations towards the Oujaarsaand festivities are always welcome and donors can contact Adiel Kabley on 083 452 8270 if they would like to help contribute towards the evening’s fun celebration for all.