History of Paarl Families (Part 2)

Du Toit Family
We have traced the history of the Moerat and the Abrahams families, who are
presently resident in Paarl. We have mentioned certain families. There are Gamieldien,
Nackerdien, Patel, Kozain, Latief, Fredericks, Essop, Rhoda, etc, which we will still trace.
But let us investigate the history of Imam Kiyaam du Toit, who was the spiritual leader of
the Waterkant Street Mosque, early in the twentieth century. Imam Kiyamdien was the
son of Boeta Jakoef du Toit, who originally purchased the plots and built both mosque
sites in the Ou Tuin area. Because of a dispute, the second mosque along the banks of
the Berg River was built, and Imam Kiyamdien became its spiritual leader.
Boeta Jakoef’s other son, known as Bilal Syfdien, was the Mu’addhin at the Breda
Street Mosque and never moved to the Waterkant Street Mosque with the others. He
built his residence in Weiss Street and had a café right opposite the Breda Street
Mosque. Bilal Syfdien had three sons, Abdurraghman, Abdullah and Noor, and a
daughter Fatima. Abdurraghman moved with his family to Simondium, where he passed
away. Abdullah passed away in Paarl very early. Noor moved to Salt River with his
family, where he passed away. There are no descendants of this family in Paarl
anymore.
Imam Kiyamdien’s sister, Auntie Gabieba married a man by the surname of
Abrahams. Her husband left her and he disappeared completely. Where he went,
remained a mystery to this day. An Arab person, named Mustapha Musaghhir, came to
settle in Paarl. He married Auntie Gabieba and adopted her surname, Abrahams, while
discarding his Arab surname. Auntie Gabieba had two sons and a daughter from her first
marriage. They were Cassiem (Boeta Kaa), Boeta Salie, and Auntie Salegga. Only
Auntie Salegga, who married Boeta Tayeb Abrahams, have offspring remaining in Paarl
(as mentioned earlier).
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Imam Mustapha Abrahams
Imam Mustapha, was a Bukkhari, with the surname Musaghir, who fled from the
Russian Revolution to seek sanctuary in Makkah and Madina. He immigrated from
Arabia and became a tailor by trade. He married Auntie Gabieba of Paarl, a widow, who
had two sons and a daughter from her first marriage, as mentioned in the last paragraph
above. Imam and Auntie Gabieba had two daughters and two sons. They were Auntie
Jawaya, who went to reside in Wynberg, Auntie Gaya, who married Boeta Abbas Moerat,
Boeta Koefie, who married first Sis Fatima and then Sis Amina, and Boeta Saaid, who
married Hadja Fatima. Boeta Koefie’s children are Kiyaam, Achmad, Niesa, Gabieba,
Fatgieya, Mastoera and Naadier. We already discussed the family of Auntie Gaya and
Boeta Abbas. Kiyaam and Mastoera are still resident in Paarl.
Imam Mustapha Abrahams the teacher of a pupil who finished the Qur’an, Basier Latief during the 1940s. Nasier, the
Imam’s son is on the right hand side and Yusuf Mohamed on the left.
Photo kindly donated by the late Imam’s daughter, Jamela King of London
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Imam Mustapha remarried after the passing away of his first wife. He married Sis
Hajira (Siesie, nee Gamieldien), the eldest daughter of Imam Kiemie, and the sister of
Imam Tagudien, who was mentioned earlier. Siesie gave birth to five children, of whom
one passed away as a baby. Those, who grew up were Nasier (Meester), Jamiela,
Amoena and Ebrahim (Brympie, who is married to Ruwayda, nee Davids). Jamiela
married the late Dr Bruce King and went to settle abroad, where they have one daughter.
Meester Nasier was a teacher at the Moslem School and passed away shortly after his
retirement. Most of his family left Paarl. His wife, Aziza, passed away in Cape Town.
As seen before, the surname is not always original. In the old days people could easily
adopt a surname. The surname Rahimo, for example, was changed to a father’s name,
Vahed (pronounced Waaghied). The surname Walpoort was changed to Moerat. In fact
the original surname of Moerat belonged to the family of the late Hadjie Loella Moerat.
Unfortunately there is no one alive to dig into the past of Hadjie Loella and his wife. He
had a son, Loella, who married in Wellington and went to reside in Gauteng, where he
passed away. A daughter, Fatima, married a man by the name of Moosa. I believe that
Auntie Asie Jakoet, mother of the doctors Jakoet in Cape Town is related to this family
as well as to the Latief family.
Gamieldien Family
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The next family I would like to discuss is the Gamieldien family. Imam Kiemie married
Sis Manouwhie (originally from Wellington). She was a sister of Sis Gawa “Jamaal”
Moosa and Sis Beira Cloete. Sis Gawa was the mother of Sis Rachmat (Baker), Auntie
Mariam and Boeta Moosa Moosa. Imam Kiemie was the first khaliefa of the Paarl
Moslem School. According to reports, he was very strict with his pupils. Their children
were Imam Taagudien, who married Auntie Gadijah Kamaldien, Sis Hajira Abrahams,
Sis Amina (who married my eldest brother, Boeta Ebrahim), Boeta Doelie, married to Sis
Kulsom (nee Mack), and Abeeda, who never married.
We have already discussed the families of Imam Taagudien and Siesie. Sis Amina
married my eldest brother Ebrahim Mohamed and raised Gakiem, Sadaqa, Asa, Baakier,
Sulaiman, Abdurrazak, Noura and Boebie, besides her stepsons, the late Achmat, Yusuf
and the late Isghaak. Only Abdurrazak is still resident in Paarl. The surname Mohamed,
was also taken from the name of the grandfather, instead of the surname, Patel.
Latief Family
This is one of the oldest families in Paarl and it would seem as the families known as
Latief and Bassier were very closely related, according to Mr Mogamat Noor Moerat
(shortly before he passed away), because his own mother was a Bassier. The Latief
family originally resided at the foot of the Paarl Mountain, before they moved to the Ou
Tuin area.
We have mentioned Hadjie Aziz Latief as the first principal of the Paarl Moslem
School. Hadji Aziz had brothers, Hadjie Mogammad Saaid and Boeta Bassier. Their
Sister was Auntie Gaya de Vos, wife of Boeta Achmat de Vos. The wife of Hadji Aziz was
Sis Gaya (Bassier), the mother of Isghaak, Yusuf, Bassier, Farieda, Aymie, Washiela
(Shirley) and Aziz. Boeta Bassier went to settle in Cape Town and I think one of his sons
is presently resident in Paarl.
Hadjie Mogamat married Sis Wyrie of Cape Town. Their children are Auntie
Zainuniesa (Jaynie) Moerat, wife of Boeta Alie, Auntie Shariefa, wife of Boeta Bakkoe,
Sietie Noer, wife of Sayed Shaafier of Makkah, Enver, who passed away as a young
man, Hadja Rhoda (the wife of Hadjie Yusuf Moerat), Fouzia (wife of Boeta Noor
Haafiez) and Fouzul (husband of Mymoena). Fouzul was the last principal of the Paarl
Moslem School before it was closed down by the previous government.
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A historical photograph taken in 1949 in front of the home of Hadji Mogamad Latief,
when Sayed Shaafie Allawhie came to marry his daughter, Sietie Nur (a school teacher)
in Paarl, before they settled in Makkah. The two imams at the back were Imam Gammie
Moerat of Breda Street Mosque and Imam Mustapha Abrahams of the Waterkant Street
Mosque. (The photo was supplied to me by Imam Mustapha’s daughter, Jamela, residing
in London).
Boeta Yunus (Oom Yunie) Latief stayed in Paarl East (die Rug), in the early days. He
had sons, Gamat, Yusuf (Katryn) and Ismail. (See last photo in this book for Yusuf and
Gamat Latief). Only Gamat married and he left behind two daughters, Yasmina, Amina,
and a son, Yusuf (Joe). Yasmina is married to Sollie Kara, while Yusuf was married to
Asa (Mohamed), my brother’s daughter, who passed away in 2012. Amiena married a
doctor, Ganief, in Cape Town, where she went to settle. Sis Asa Latief, married Boeta
Jaynie Moerat, as was reported earlier.
According to Boeta Mogammad Noor Moerat, his mother was a Latief. Her sister, Sis
Asie was married to Abdol (Dollie) Bassier. Another sister, Gallie was married to Boeta
Moedenie Nackerdien. They were the parents of Boeta Dollie (Derra), Hadjie Gamaat,
Shat and Ebrahim. Hai Sietie’s youngest sister Auntie Mariam, was married to Tata
Boetie de Vos. They had six children, namely Toyer, Achmat, Amien, Kieyampie, Jane
and Sabiega. Sukayna, the daughter of Boeta Toyer, married Ismail Abrahams, the son
of Boeta Amien and Sis Gaya Abrahams (mentioned earlier). Boeta Achmat married Sis
Gaya (nee Latief). Their children were: Faried, Aneesa (married to the late Rashaad du
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Plessis), Latiefa (married to Nasser Hendricks) and Gamieda (married to the late
Shu’ayb of Cape Town).
Nackerdien Family
The Nackerdien, Gaidien and Samaai families are more old families of Paarl. Just like
the Gamieldiens, many of their forefathers date back to Indonesia. The Gabriels family of
Cape Town are inter-related with them. The eldest daughter of the Nackerdien clan was
Salegga (who married my brother, Yusuf (better known as Essop). They had many
children and went to settle in Kensington. Their eldest, Goeya and Tietie Patel were best
known. The other children are Ebrahim, Ismail, Husain, Mariam (who settled in London),
Hajiera, Washiela, Abduraghman, Haroen, Naziema and Fatima.
Boeta Gamat married a revert to Islam and they had only one daughter, Gawa, and a
son, Manie, who are still resident in Paarl. Hadjie Manie married Sis Kulsoem (nee
Samaai). She was the sister of Boeta Soppie Samaai. She also gave birth to many
children. The eldest was Rachmat (named after her grandmother), who married the late
Igsaan Meyer. Magadie married a wife from the Allie family of Malmesbury, Raidie, who
passed away. Ebrahim, and AbuBakr are presently residing in the West Coast. A brother
and sister were tragically killed in a car accident. They were the late Sheikh Rafiq, who
married my sister-in-law, Nadeema, and Gouwa, who was married to Hafiez Noerbhai of
Johannesburg. Then there are still Lyga, Rushdiya (widow of Fuad Hermanus), Rashieda
(married to Gafoer Khan), and Sabrie. It must be recorded that Ebrahim Nackerdien was
the mayor of the West Coast area, after democracy… another Paarlite who made
history elsewhere.
Najjiemudien passed away in Kensington. Benyamien, who passed away in Makkah,
married Kaltoem (the daughter of Boeta Tayeb and Sis Legga Abrahams). Most of their
offspring are still resident in Paarl. The youngest brother, “Meester” or Yusuf married
Rhoda. Both of them have passed away. Their two sons, Shaheen and Faaldie are
resident in Paarl, while Rushdi is in Johannesburg. Their only daughter, Zeena, is a
scientist in the United States of America.
The other Nackerdiens were the cousins of those that I mentioned. They date back
from the family that used to reside in New Street, Paarl. There were Hadjie Gamaat,
Boeta Dollie, also known as Derra, Shat, and Ebrahim (Brym), who passed away in
Paarl. Their sister married in Cape Town and sons, Achmat Cassiem and Synie lived in
Paarl. Synie and Fatima passed away. Their sisters, Rachmat and Mareldia are resident
in Cape Town. I cannot recall any other members of the Nackerdien family.
Maliek is a son of Achmat Cassiem and is living in Paarl.
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A Photo taken of members of the Nackerdien family in 1995. The adults on the
photo are Sheikh Rafiq Nackerdien (Imam of Paarl), his parents Hadji Manie and
Hadja Kulsum and his wife, Nadeema. The children are presently married and
living in Cape Town. A few months after the photo was taken, Sheikh Rafiq and his
sister tragically lost their lives in a car collision. Photo supplied by Sharfa Jappie,
living in Kuils River.
Gaidien Family
I still recall three brothers of the Gaidien clan. They were Boeta Toyer, Boeta
Gamiedoen and Boeta Ismail. Boeta Gakkie was the eldest son of Boeta Toyer. Salie,
the late husband of Tiema Moerat, was another son. Then there was Mogammat Zain.
Niesa is a sister, who married Mietie Solomon.
Boeta Ismail married Sis Mienie. Their offspring were Gasant (who married Niesa
Kozain), Yunus (married to Moerieda), Sedick (married to Saliega), Hiema (married in
Cape Town), Sulaiman (married in the Strand) and Rashieda (also in Cape Town).
Boeta Gamiedoen never married.
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Samaai Family
The Samaai family originated from Cape Town. Boeta Aboo (an upholsterer) moved to
Paarl. There he met another upholsterer Boeta Mannie Davids, originally from
Johannesburg. He eventually married the sister of Boeta Mannie, Sis Rachmat Davids.
Sis Rachmat was also the aunt of Boeta Abas Davids. The children that were born from
the marriage of Boeta Aboo and Sis Rachmat were Boeta Mannie, Sis Kyna, Sis
Kulsoem Nackerdien, Yusuf (Boeta Soppie) and Jiessie.
Boeta Soppie married Aunty Fieya of Woodstock and they settled in Milnerton for a few
years, before returning to Paarl. Many of their children and grandchildren are still
resident in Paarl. One son, Imam Fuad married the daughter of the late Yusie and Asie
Allie and are resident in Stellenbosch.
Davids Family
We mentioned the Davids family. Boeta Abbas was the son of Boeta and Sis Faatiya
(nee Kozain). Their other children were Jaynab, Nafiesa and Ismail who died as a boy. A
cousin, Boeta Mannie Davids originally came from Johannesburg and married Sis Gadija
in Paarl. Their sons were Ebrahim, Mogammad and Achmad, while their one daughter
was married to Mustapha Green. A sister of Boeta Mannie, Sis Ragmat, married Boeta
Aboo and were discussed under the Samaai family.
Kozain Family
Let us have a look at the Kozain family. Oom Karriem (Tata) and Motjie Nontjie (Meme)
lived opposite the Moslem School in Malay Street. Their eldest son was married to Sies
Legga. They were the parents of Fatima, Abduraghman (Appie), Achmat, Niesa, Gamat
and Noera. Another son of Oom Kariem, Maalie, had an accident while young, and was
an invalid until his death. Sis Gawa was the mother of two sets of twins, namely Sietie
Hermanus (mother of Mansoer, Karriem and Fuad) and Bryma, as well as Sabaagh
Francke (mother of Naasier and Najieb) and Su-aat (mother of Masnoena). The one
daughter of Oom Kariem became a Davids, whom we mentioned before, and the other
sister married Boeta Loekmaan Fredericks, who came from Port Elizabeth to settle in
Paarl.
Fredericks Family
Boeta Loekmaan had several children They were Boeta Laanie (whose daughter,
Farieda, is married to Ebrahim Fortuin), Jaynab, Fatima, Boeta Gamiem (husband of Sis
Hajiera), Boeta Yusuf (whose wife passed away), Ismail, Hashiem, Gadija, Asa and
Laama (married to the late Mansoer Schroeder). Nazeema, widow of Sedick Jappie, is
the daughter of Auntie Fatima. Boeta Laanie married Sis Kyna, mother of Loekmaan,
Aamien and Farieda Fortuin who are resident in Paarl. Hashiem moved to Cape Town
with his family, and Gadija never married.
Kriel Family
There are certain families who left Paarl completely, leaving no offspring behind. I can
think of the Kriel family, originally from Worcester, whose children grew up with us. Boeta
Tayeb and Sis Roulie were prominent in Van der Lingen Street. Sis Roulie’s sister,
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Auntie Liemie married the late Boeta Moenief Moerat and went to settle in Kensington.
The Kriel family themselves were quite a big bunch. They were Rugaya, Moena, Aziez,
the late Abas, Fieya, Aada, Diedie, Synie, Nafiesa and Koebera. It was because of them
that we built up ties in Springfield Street, District Six with Pang Safierieng, Boeta Achmat
and Ma Gayer and their offspring.
Louw Family
Another family which disappeared completely was that of Oom Gatab Louw, who lived
in Waterkant Street and was a renowned wagon painter during the early part of the
Twentieth Century. There were also the late Motta and Gatappie, as well as Arajab. The
latter was the last survivor of the family, until his demise in Salt River. Just like the
original Moerats and the Du Toits, these families have become extinct in Paarl.
Richards Family
The Richards family was also a large one. Boeta Fakier Richards, probably from
Johannesburg, came to settle in Paarl. He was related to the old Domingo and
Kamaldien families of Paarl. His first wife gave birth to Gosain, Mogamat, Laama, Amina,
Achmat, and Omar. Mogamat married Idaya and had one son Iederies. Boeta Gamat
was the first Muslim cinema owner in Paarl. He started off with an open air bioscope
once a week at his residence in Malherbe Street and later built a cinema, Regent, in
Klein Drakenstein. Sis Laama, a school teacher, married Boeta Yusuf Lapperts. They
had no children, and they donated the ground on which the present Mosque complex is
built in Lapperts Street.
Sis Amina was also a school teacher, who married and settled in Cape Town. Boeta
Achmat married Sis Hajiera. He had a furniture factory. Some of their children were twins
Enver and Faried, Moerieda, and Moutie, who is the present chairperson of the Paarl
Jama’at. Boeta Goesein never married. Boeta Omar had one daughter, Naeema, who
married the late Jamiel Abrahams.
Boeta Fakier married a second wife after the passing away of his first wife. His second
wife was Sis Koebera (Bassier). Their offspring were Aysie (wife of Yusie Allie),
Abdullatief (Awam) Richards, who married Aziza (Dollie), and Noorudien, who emigrated
to Saudi Arabia. At the time of writing Noorudien was the only surviving member of the
original Richards family.
Domingo Family
According to records, the Domingo family is probably the oldest Muslim family in Paarl,
who, at least, purchased property in the area. Records show a Wagonmaker, known as
G. Domingo, in Paarl. They resided along the slopes of the Paarl Mountain in the 19 th
Century. According to my knowledge, I knew only Boeta Hashim Domingo, who married
Auntie Asa. They had two daughters Ghairo and Gadijah, who moved to Johannesburg,
after their parents separated way back in the 1940’s. At the time of writing Sis Asa, in her
nineties, was still alive and living in Paarl.
The families, Richards, Vahed and Kamaldien were all related to the Domingo family.
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Khan Family
A personality that contributed a lot to the education of the Muslim community of Paarl
and who dominated the scene for three generations, is Hadji Abdul Gamied Khan, known
to most of the older generations as “Meester” Khan. In Cape Town he was known as
Betta Khan. Betta is an Indian title for brother.
Meester came from Simons Town to replace Hadji Aziz Latief, who retired and later
tragically passed away in a car accident. Thus, Meester became principal of the Paarl
Moslem School as a very young man, more or less in 1930. Some of his pupils in 1930
were Auntie Mariam Abrahams, Boeta Osman Sonday, Auntie Jaynie Moerat, Hadji
Abubie Moerat, etc. Even people like the late Hadji Manie Nackerdien, were pupils of
Meester Khan. In our own case, Meester taught my father-in-law, Hadji Adam Moerat,
my wife and myself, and our children. That means three generations in our case.
Very few Paarlites know the history of Meester, besides that he was married to Sis
Gadie (nee Morton), who was formerly from Johannesburg. Her brother, Boeta Osman
Morton married Auntie Atieka Latief from Paarl. Meester and Sis Gadie had three sons
and three daughters, namely Rashied, Shamieg, Roedie Solker, Farouk, Kariema Davids
and Fahiema Jakoet.
I had to interview the eldest surviving member of Meester’s family, Roedie Solker, to
find out more about Meester’s history. What I learnt was that Meester’s father was a man
named Munshi Achmat Khan, who immigrated from a part of India, which is today known
as Pakistan, at the start of the 20 th century. The late Munshi, as so many Indians, came
to seek his fortune in this country, as well as to escape British imperialism in their own
country. He travelled by boat and landed at Simon’s Town, where he settled. He married
a beautiful young girl, named Rachmat.
The couple had two children, named Abdul Gamied and Fatima. Munshi decided to
move to Australia, but his wife’s family decided that the children were too young for the
long travel. Munshi, thus travelled alone, and never returned to South Africa. In fact he
married an Australian wife, who corresponded with Meester years afterwards. That wife
also had children of Munshi. Some of the correspondence are still in the possession of
Roedie Solker.
Meester’s sister, Fatima, married Imam Achmat Toefy of Stellenbosch. Their children
are still resident in Stellenbosch. They are Yasminah Raziet (wife of Laam Raziet), Imam
Nawhaawhie, Rachmat Cornelson, Salegga and Mustapha (who is married to Suraya,
daughter of Boeta Yusuf and Auntie Rhoda Moerat of Paarl).
Meester retired at the age of 60 as principal of the school in 1970, and was succeeded
by one of his former pupils, Fouzul Latief. In the earlier years, until the early 1950s,
Meester was often called upon to go on stage to deliver speeches at public occasions.
This was the case in 1952, when a very distinguished guest, Moulana Abdul Aleem
Sidique, from Medina, visited Paarl and addressed a public audience in the Paarl Town
Hall. Meester also contributed articles on Islam to the Paarl Post on a regular basis. The
family resided in Templer Street for many years, before they were forced to move to
Paarl East, by the Group Areas act. If there is one person who needs to be remembered
by the Paarl Muslims, by naming an institution after him, it is Meester Khan. I have
suggested in the past that an A G Khan Museum would be appropriate to honour his
name among future generations.
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The other Khan family, Achmad and Jawaya, passed away and their children left Paarl
to settle elsewhere. The third Khan family, from Daljosaphat, moved in much later.
Sonday Family
I interviewed Boeta Osman Sonday about his heritage, prior to his death. He informed
me that his father, Boeta Mahmoed Sonday, also emigrated from India to seek his
fortune in this country. He left a wife behind in India, and remarried Boeta Osman’s
mother here. He went into the butcher business in Paarl as well as a grocery business.
They had the following children, Boeta Hoesain, Boeta Osman, Fatima, Kulsom and
Azeeza. Boeta Mahmoed and his family lived in a residence on the corner of Breda and
Weiss Street. Their backyard was immediately opposite the Breda Street Mosque and
the Paarl Moslem School. For many years, they were the only suppliers of halaal meat to
the community of Paarl and Wellington area.
Boeta Osman was the last surviving member of the family with some of his children. His
wife, Aunty Gamieda passed away first and he passed away recently.
Essop Family
Photo kindly donated by Jamela King of London.
Boeta Ahmad and his wife Auntie Amina moved from Cape Town to Franshhoek, where
they carried on a general dealer business. He originally immigrated from India and she
was the daughter of Sulaiman Sha Mohammed, also known as Ryke Sulaiman, because
of his wealth. His name is still inscribed at the tomb of Tuan Yusuf at Macassar.
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The Essop family moved to Paarl around 1930, when they built a general dealer and
their residence on the corner of Breda- and Thom Streets. They had three sons and four
daughters. They were Gadija, Fatima, Yusuf, Mariam, Ebrahim, Sulaiman and Zulaiga.
Gadija married Ismail Patel, Fatima married in Cape Town, Yusuf married Farieda
Rhoda, and they had a son and two daughters. The son is Dr. Fadiel Essop, resident in
Paarl. Mariam married Mansoer Moerat. They had a daughter and three sons. Sulayman
married a wife from Johannesburg. Both of them have passed away. Ebrahim and
Zulaiga never married and have passed away.
Rhoda Family
Boeta Gasant and Auntie Asa Rhoda moved from the Strand to Paarl. She was a
member of the Wentzel family of Strand. Boeta Gasant was a hairdresser/barber by
trade and he and Boeta Abbas Moerat became firm friends. They affectionately called
each other John and Daan. There were two or three children when they moved to Paarl.
They built a residence on the riverside on the corner of Waterkant- and Thom Streets.
They had three sons and four daughters, Sa-aid, Jumara, Siraaz, Yusuf, Fatima, Farieda
and Wasiela. Most of them attended school in Paarl. The sons all learned their father’s
trade and their barber in Breda Street was wellknown.
The eldest five of the children have passed away. The late Fatima was married to
Boebie Majaal, Farieda was married to Yusuf Essop and Washiela is married to Faizel
Dollie. They are all resident in Paarl.
Herbert Family
Boeta Ismail Herbert married Auntie Asa Hanslo from Cape Town. She was adopted by
the famous chemist, Sarley Dollie of Cape Town, when she was orphaned. The Herberts
purchased a property in Paarl. He was was close to the Hendricks family and very close
to Boeta Dol of Wellington.
They settled in Paarl in the early 1930s, where he operated a successful mechanical
workshop from his home. He employed a white car mechanic by the surname of
Nothnagel to do repairs. Boeta Ismail was very active in community affairs. They had
three children, two sons and a daughter. The sons, Yusuf and Moegtaar have passed
away, but they have surviving families in Paarl. The daughter, Needa, married a
husband, Yusuf Baderoen, from the Strand, where she went to settle. Needa was also
very active in community affairs before her departure from Paarl. Somewhere on one of
the historical photo’s Needa appears with the Essop family. As bridesmaid for Ismail and
Gadija Patel, she is also part of the wedding group.
Allie Family
The late Boeta Ismail and Auntie Asa Allie moved to Paarl in the 1950s to start a fruit
business in Paarl. They were originally from District Six, where their father had a
wholesale Banana business. Other members of the Allie family also moved to Paarl.
They were Muhammed (Bhai), Achmad, Yusie, Moosa and a sister, Ayesha. Bhai
married Aunty Farieda.
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Two sons, Solly, Ebrahim and daughter, Yasmina are still resident in Paarl. Boeta
Achmad married Aunty Abaashia and most of their children are resident in Paarl. Yusie
married Asie Richards and there are children resident in Paarl. Moosa married Fadiela
Dollie and their children are resident in Paarl. Ayesha married the late Yusuf Rhoda and
their most of their offspring are also in Paarl.
Patel Family
Perhaps it is time for me to refer to my own family. My father, Mohamed Patel,
immigrated from India at the beginning of the 20 th century, because of British oppression
in his mother country. He was the youngest son of Mahmoud. Some of his brothers
adopted the surname of Wadee, while he arrived here under the adopted surname of
Patel.
According to the information that I gained, my great-grandfather, Ishaaq, was a
Persian, who emigrated to India and he went to settle in the village of Iklera, in the district
of Soorah, in the province of Gujjeraat. The family resided there for centuries. My
grandfather, Mahmoud’s offspring were Ahmed, Yusuf (Essop), Ismail, Mohamed, a
daughter, Rasoul, and another daughter Mariam.
Three of the brothers, Essop, Ismail and Mohamed travelled via cargo boat to South
Africa. However, Essop returned to India. Ismail, who later became blind, remained in
Johannesburg, while our father, Mohamed settled at the Cape. The eldest brother,
Ahmed, never came to South Africa, but two of his sons, Mahmoud and Sulaiman
Wadee, immigrated to South Africa and settled in Johannesburg. The one sister,
Mariam, also moved to South Africa and married a person by the surname of
Chasmawallah in Johannesburg. Their offspring, one a Moulana Mohammed, are still
resident in Gauteng.
My father had very humble beginnings at the Cape. He was only 19-years-old when he
arrived here. He started trading with fruit by pushing a barrow to the market. Later he
obtained a horse and cart and went to nearby farms in the Boland area to purchase fruit
and vegetables, which he transported to Cape Town. He married his first wife in 1906.
She was a girl of mixed descent, with the surname of Hofmeester, who embraced Islam.
In the next ten years she gave birth to 6 children, before she passed away in the 1918 flu
pendemic.
The six children were Ebrahim (born in 1908), Mahmoud (1910) Essop (1912), Gadija
and Gouwa (twins born 1915) and Fatima (1917). The twin Gouwa passed away at the
age of two. Thus, my father was a widower with five young children, the eldest only ten
and the youngest one year old. He soon married a wife from Worcester, but
unfortunately she could not cope with the children and they separated again. In 1921 he
married my mother, Ayesha, born in Tulbagh and also a revert to Islam. To be nearer to
the farms, they moved around in the Boland area. He obtained a light truck on which he
could load his fruit and vegetables and transport them to the Cape Town market. Then
he would load fish, especially snoek at the harbour, and traded with the fish in the
country area.
My mother had five step children to care for as well as her own, which started arriving
from 1923, when my brother, Achmad, was born. In 1925, my sister Zaynab arrived. One
year later, another sister, Kulsom, was born. Then almost every second year there was a
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new arrival, in the form of Sukayna (Kienie), Sulaiman (Lymie), Omar (who passed away
at birth), Ismail (Mylie), Isghaak (who passed away at birth), myself in 1935, Abdulhay
(Duhlie) in 1938, Muhmeena (Momeen, who lived for two years) and the youngest,
Zeitoen in 1942.
Our father moved around with his family, between Paarl (1925), Worcester, Greyton,
Tulbagh, Paarl (1928), Wellington, etc, until he finally returned and settled in Paarl from
1941 onwards. By that time my father suffered from a serious ulcerated stomach. We
resided in Laundry Street, Paarl, next to the Fredericks family for some time. It was more
or less the time when I started schooling.
Early in 1942, we moved to Waterkant Street, near to the Masjied. By this time most of
the older siblings were married already. In 1944 Kulsom married a husband, Hashim
Hassim and went to settle in Johannesburg. The other sisters, Gadija, Fatima and
Zaynab, were already married and resident in Johannesburg. My brother, Ebrahim had
first married a wife, Mariam Vesamian, in Malmesbury, but after her passing away, he
remarried in Paarl.
He had three sons, Achmad, Yusuf and Isghaak from his first marriage. His second
wife and offspring was reported earlier, because he married in the Gamieldien family. His
second wife was the daughter of Imam Kiemie and the sister of Imam Taaghodien.
Mahmoud married in Worcester after the war, but he and his wife Sa-ieda had no
children. I reported earlier on my brother Essop’s marriage to Tietie Salegga Nackerdien.
At the beginning of 1945, my father undertook a train journey from Johannesburg to
Natal. On his return journey, his stomach ulcer was punctured and he passed away on
the train on the 11 th February (a Sunday). My father was buried in the Newclare cemetery
(Johannesburg) on Monday, 12 th February. He had fathered 18 children of whom 14
survived and grew up. Shortly after that my sister, Kulsom, was divorced, one month
before her daughter, Amina, was born. My brother, Achmad married Mymoena, the
daughter of Imam Gammie.
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Kulsom found happiness with her second marriage to Hassan Shaik. In 1952, Kienie
married Basier Kamaldien, our neighbour. In 1954, Lymie married Fatima, the daughter
of Sayed Achmad of Cape Town. They celebrated their golden anniversary in 2004 prior
toher passing away. In 1957, my brother Mylie married Gadija Essop. A year later, I
married Aneesa, the daughter of Boeta Adam and Auntie Yasmina Moerat. My brother,
Duhlie, married a wife from Johannesburg, Farieda Baulacky, in 1959. Our youngest
sister, married in the 1960s when Omar Peck came from Durban and decided to settle in
Paarl. He and Duhlie’s wife, Farieda, were cousins.
Presently there are only six of the fourteen, three brothers and three sisters, alive.
Achmad remarried when his first wife passed away. They had no children. His second
wife, also Mymoena Moerat (daughter of Boeta Jaynie and Auntie Asa Moerat, gave birth
to two sons, Ebrahim and Mogammad, before our brother, Achmad passed away due to
kidney failure. These two sons are already married and the parents of children.
Zaynab had three daughters, Rabia, Ayesha and Farieda, and a son, Yusuf, by her first
marriage. Farieda passed away from brain malignancy at the age of fifteen. Yusuf is the
only son who resided in Paarl. Her children from her second marriage are resident in
Upington. Zaynab passed away a few days after her eightieth birthday, while our sister
Gadija passed away in Johannesburg, at the age of 90, within one month of Zaynab.
Kulsom has, besides Amina, four sons, Rustum, Rashied, Shahied and Anwar, as well
as a daughter, Zeitoen, from her second marriage. Hassan Shaik passed away in his
early forties. Her third husband, AbdurRasoul Vahed, passed away just three months
after their marriage.
I reported earlier that Kienie had two children, Muhmeena and Mogammad, who are
both married, with children, and are residing in Paarl. My brother, Lymie and his late wife,
Fatima, had three daughters, Toheera, Nawhaal and Yasmina. Yasmina is staying in
Jeddah with her husband and they have two sons and a daughter, while the other two are
resident in Paarl. Toheera is married to Moghamad Joseph, with two sons and a
daughter. Nawhaal is married to a dentist, Fuad Adams and they have three daughters.
Mylie and Gadija are presently staying with their daughter, Zuraida, in Grassy Park.
Their eldest son, Nadeem, passed away after a heart attack at the age of 44. Heshaam,
the youngest son, is married to Firdous, the daughter of my wife’s cousin. They are
staying in Paarl.
Regarding myself and Aneesa, we have eight children, Faghrie, Zarina, Ayesha,
Shu’ayb, Shakier, Ashraf, Rushdi and Nawhaal. Faghrie married Aziza and they have
three children, Aneesa, Ayesha and Moosa. Aneesa is married and have two children,
Aziza and Sietaara. Zarina married Ebrahim Sawant. They have four children, Gulam
Husain, who is married with one child; Tasneem, married to Zade Jappie, with two
children, Nashieta and Miekaa-eel; Imtiaaz and Nashreen are still unmarried. Ayesha is
married to Addenaan Chippendale. They have four daughters, Ibtisaam, married to
Shanawaaz Khan, with three children, Nabeelah, Nawhaal and Naasiebah. Shu’ayb is
married to Shanaaz and they have a son, Faghrie, and two daughters. Shakier, after two
unsuccessful marriages, is the father of Shaakiera, Riedaa and Lameez. He remarried
Nafiesa and they have two daughters. Ashraf is married to Mumeena, and they have
three children, Zarina, Taariq and Firzaana. Rushdi was married to Ashraf’s sister-in-law,
Farahnaaz. They have three children, Ruqshaana, Ruzaik and Riezwaan. Nawhaal is
married to Rieyaaz Achmat and they have three sons, Alawhie, Ijaaz and Mujaahid.
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My youngest brother, Abdulhay, passed away due to a brain tumour in 1990, shortly
after our mother. His wife is still staying in Paarl. They have five daughters, Nazlie,
Wesaal, Rashieda, Fazlin and Fierouza, and one son, Achmad. The children are all
married with children. Our youngest sister, Zeitoen, married to the late Omar Peck, is the
mother of three children, Ebrahim, Fatima and Zahieda, a medical doctor. All of them are
married, with children.
I have endeavoured to recall the older families of Paarl. There are also many new
surnames of families, who entered the town somewhat later. It would be a good idea if
the Jama’at keeps a register of all families and their histories. In the event of one day
establishing a library and museum, such a register would be useful to the community. I
have researched thus far and should there be any misinformation, I wish to apologise to
the families. I have recorded on hearsay, because there were no written records to guide
me.
Any reader, who possesses useful information is invited to e-mail such information to
me or to my webmasters in order to rectify any errors or to extend the mentioned
information. Kindly remember that this is the first written account of its sort in Paarl. With
your co-operation we could have an updated account. I am deeply grateful to Mrs Jamela
King, a personal friend, and the daughter of Imam Mustapha and Siesie of Paarl, who
regularly informed me of historical data and photographs, which she sent via e-mail from
abroad. With the aid of others we can have an even more detailed website for the benefit
of posterity.
Shukran
Moosa Patel www.patelspoetry.com
More photographs on the following pages of the history of the Paarl Muslims.
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