Messengers

Hillbrow, Johannesburg

Linocut on paper
Norman Kaplan, 1975

At that time, extensive use was made of male messengers in towns and cities. The men would be responsible for the delivery of letters, documents, parcels, purchases, etc. Despite their lowly wages, they were expected to be smartly turned out, supporting an extensive underground trade in expensive suits, shoes and hats.

Regardless of age and experience, messengers were always referred to as ‘boys’ – part of the deliberate ‘subordination’ strategy, along with the term ‘native’ for Black people (initiated by British colonialism). Africans had to call all whites, even children, ‘baas’ (boss) or madam.

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