Though the Memory in Action Museum is a relatively new addition to the historic community of Fietas, its connection to the space stretches back to the late 1800’s. The museum occupies one of the few remaining buildings from the Fietas of old, formerly known as Malay location, and was once a family owned business in the middle of the thriving market street of Fourteenth Street. Salma Patel who has lived here most of her life aims to evoke the spirit and the ways of life that once defined the area before the upheaval of the forced removals that similarly befell other multi-cultural melting pots like Sophiatown and District Six, which challenged the state’s ideas of race relations. Her passion for the area is blatant and the work she does to honour the memory of the community she grew up in is testimony to this love.

Salma, the owner and custodian of the museum gives us a guided tour through the passages of time by way of her personal recollections of Malay location, its people, its lively streets and its misrepresentation by the apartheid regime in the lead up to the devastation of the forced removals. The world-renowned South African photographers David Goldblatt and Paul Weinberg, who both captured the essence of everyday life on its streets, portray the history of the area through a collection of beautiful and well-curated photographs. Far more than nostalgic documentation of what was, the images give insight into the remarkable lives of ordinary residents like “Fat Harry”, witness to all the goings-on of Fourteenth Street. Alongside the photographs are various other historical articles that breathe even more life into this ‘living museum.’ Handwritten letters, newspaper clippings, personal clothing and other miscellaneous pieces of history tell the tale of leading political figures and activists such as Suleiman M Nana, Father Sigamoney, Molvi Saloojee, Dr. Essop Jassat, writers, Peter Abrahams, Ahmed Essop, and many others.

Following our immersion into the history of Fietas, its time for a walkabout around the community to see first hand the transformations it has undergone since the forced removals and what the impact of a free South Africa has been. As we make our way around the suburb, Salma reconstructs the neighbourhood of her childhood and in so doing demonstrates that like any other place, Fietas is a space in constant flux. Occasionally we stop where a school, a corner shop or a friend’s home once stood and imagine through Salma’s stories the richness that was uprooted. On our return, lunch is served, courtesy of ladies in the community - yet another sign of the tight-knit relationships that even the might of apartheid could not undo.

The tour is an emotional encounter with the past and far from a sentimental trip down memory lane, Salma’s vision represents how oral histories, personal experiences and memory converge to fill the gaps in official historical narratives. Very few can confront such a traumatic part of our past with equal sensitivity and charisma. In fact what Salma and the Memory in Action Museum demonstrate is that the best way to cast off the demons of our past is to confront the ghosts head-on in order to rescue the untold stories of our history.