The Duke of Rookwood Avenue by: Ebrahim Essa

“When he finally returned, I was surprised. He was still lanky, slim and trim but now much taller. I had left him as a Mini Morris. He was now a Dodge Lancer.”

The Duke of Rookwood Avenue narrates the coming of age story of Durban-born Ebrahim Patel (1952-2021), a modern- day Renaissance Man who used his unique skills to better the lives of others from Chatsworth to Surat. Trained as a doctor, and yet equally skilled as a photographer, negotiator, interior designer, and architect, Patel would come to represent a cohort of first generation South African Indians who would both break the weight of immigrant expectation while dedicating their life to service. Patel’s life is instructional and inspirational, even as he battles cancer for close to 18 years, without ever continuing to stop living and giving. Written with erudite wit and tenderness, Ebrahim Essa meditates on growing up with Patel in Albert Street in the 1950s and 1960s as apartheid South Africa reached its apex. They race matchsticks through Albert Street, chase busses to watch apartheid soccer, wax lyrical Qawalis and discover long lost family members, together. With the inclusion of special tributes by family, close friends and long-time associates, this short biography captures the spirit of one of Durban’s best kept secrets.