Sun City was developed by the hotel magnate Sol Kerzner as part of his Sun International group of properties. It was officially opened on 7 December 1979.
At the time it was located in Bophuthatswana. As Bophuthatswana had been declared an independent state by South Africa's apartheid government (although unrecognized as such by any other country), it was allowed to provide 'immoral' entertainment (in the eyes of the South African government) such as gambling and topless revue shows, which were banned in South Africa.
These factors, as well as its relatively close location to the large metropolitan areas of Pretoria and Johannesburg, ensured that Sun City soon became a popular holiday and weekend destination.
Many famous musicians such as Queen, Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Julio Iglesias, The O'Jays, Ray Charles, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Laura Branigan and Thomas Anders (of Modern Talking fame) also performed at the 'Sun City Super Bowl', a large auditorium which seats 6,230.
Sun City became controversial in 1985 when E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt made it the focus of his music-industry activist group, Artists United Against Apartheid. Forty-nine top recording artists collaborated on a song called "Sun City", in which they pledged they would never perform at the resort. Simple Minds ncluded a song on their double album called "Love Song - Sun City - Dance to the Music" in which they declare "I ain't gonna play Sun City." |
