Page 61 - Bulletin 12 2008

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In 1938 Alec Bassios & daughter Niki visited Sotira; in 1939 Stephanos Stavrou’s wife and
children came to SA to join him. (Fig. 2.37).

Early in WW 2 Albania was occupied by Italy and citizens of these Axis countries were

under threat of incarceration in SA. Bassios and Stavrou, originating from the Albanian

side of the border, were technically citizens of Albanian origin. There was talk of
incarcerating them but the Greek community stepped in and vouched for their ethnicity and

loyalty to the Allied cause. In 1942, Alec Bassios bought the Olympia Café from creditors
of another Greek with the surname Papayiannis. In 1944 Alec Bassios bought the Olympia

Building and bioscope from heirs of Lazarus / Zakon. The four-member Bassios family
worked very hard in their two shops to pay off the building.

Greek life in South Africa

The families worked hard, and this included the children. All lived frugally. Mother

Anastasia and son Jimmy worked the Station Café, father Alec & daughter Niki worked the
Olympia Café. The Olympia would be very busy during bioscope intervals and they would

close the Station Café to help. The Stavrou family from SL Bazaars also came to help. (Fig.
2.38).

There was much help from the Greek network. John Costas, wholesalers such as Maratos,

and manufacturers like Messaris, would sometimes loan money to enable compatriots to

buy businesses. There was a strong tradition of honour & trust. The Greek community of
Cape Town was dominated first by Peleponesians (like Arthur Goles), then people from

Lesvos. Epirots like Bassios and Stavrou were a small minority.

The Greek Orthodox Church was well established by then. There was a strong sense of
family, language, religion, culture. Social contact was often at religious festivals like

weddings, Christenings, Easter, etc.