About The Moon Hotel
The Bugwandeen Brothers Of Cato Manor & Newlands, known as the diamond brothers, purchased the Moon Hotel in 1960, which was at the time owned by a Jewish family who sold the establishment. The brothers, Harry, Carlton, Boya, Sonny, and (human rights lawyer) Rabbi Bugwandeen ventured into the hospitality industry for the first time together being pioneers of the hotel business in the Indian Community in Durban.
Moon Hotel at the time, under apartheid, was one of the most upmarket, luxurious hotels of Durban in “non-white” sector. Even under the pressures of apartheid, the moon hotel was an attraction for all race groups.
The Moon Hotel featured many famous groups and artists with regular line-ups like The Rockets; Blue Jewels; Archie Silansky; Count Wellington Judge; Jeanette Tsagane and Jazz Dazzlers and many more. The famous Thandi Klaasen performed with African Jazz & Variety in 1968. Other artists included Pat Matshikiza ; Johnny Mekoa ; Barney Rashabane , Melvin Peters and (popular pianist ,music arranger and composer )Lionel Pillay. Many jazz concerts attracted hundreds of various race groups to frequent the Moon Hotel. Together with Darius Brubeck ,Ramoll Bugwandeen successfully achieved a record not yet beaten in a feat of having 50 musicians perform in one night in the biggest jazz festival Durban had ever seen. The Southern Comfort Natal University Jazz Joll proved a super success. To date this event continues. Foreign artists like professor Mike Rossi; Chris Mertz ; Leone Mobley ( a supporting performer for Michael Jackson in the recording black and white) and UK’S Sandy Axon together with Les Bull graced the stage at Moon Hotel.
