A new and proudly local book celebrates the people behind the iconic six words that every Capetonian knows – ‘a lolly to make you jolly!’
Cape Town, South Africa (09 September 2026) – Cape Town once had its own soundtrack. It floated across the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton on hot summer afternoons, carried by charismatic beach traders whose quick wit was every bit as famous as the ice creams they sold.
‘A lolly to make you jolly!’
Those six words were enough to send children sprinting barefoot across the sand while parents searched for loose change and holidaymakers smiled in anticipation. It was like theatre. It was poetry. It was part of growing up in Cape Town.
Behind that famous chant – and many other cheeky variations of it – was a remarkable person, a family, a story and a community that helped shape the spirit of the Mother City.
A newly released book promises that those stories will never be forgotten.
Co-authored by former beach trader and community advocate Paul Jacobson and Vinetia Cedras, daughter of the legendary Vincent “Vinna” Cedras, A Lolly to Make You Jolly – In Memory of Our Forgotten People is a heartfelt celebration of Cape Town’s lolly sellers and the vibrant Cape Coloured community that made days at the beach unforgettable.
Funny, full of heart, and rich with history, the book shines a light on the people behind one of Cape Town’s most recognisable traditions. It honours their resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, colourful personalities and pride. It also preserves many generations of the city’s cultural heritage before it fades from living memory.
Jacobson says the book is a labour of love inspired by decades spent among people he proudly calls family.
“I traded on the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton for twelve years, but I have spent more than thirty years among this incredible community,” says Jacobson. “People often remember the lolly, the jokes and the laughter, but they don’t always remember the extraordinary people behind them. This book is about changing that. It is about celebrating a community that has contributed so much to Cape Town’s identity and making sure their stories are remembered with the pride they deserve.”
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Cape Town’s lolly sellers built successful businesses through their determination, hard work and gift for connecting with people.
Every day they carried heavy cooler boxes through deep sand under the summer sun. They knew their regular customers by name. They entertained children with playful rhymes, greeted visitors with infectious smiles and made every holiday feel more special.
They were the storytellers and the comedians. The unofficial ambassadors of Cape Town’s beaches.
The book captures these special shared memories through the lives of unforgettable characters whose humour, kindness and resilience are woven into the city’s history.
The book delves into the origins of the famous beach chants, meets the larger-than-life personalities, and shines a light on Zenobia, one of the few women to establish herself in the traditionally male world of beach trading. It also uncovers the incredible story of Vinna, affectionately remembered by many as the father of Cape Town’s beach traders.
“To many people, my father was simply Vinna, the beach trader everyone knew and loved,” says Cedras. “To us, he was our father, our mentor and someone who believed in helping others succeed. Writing this book has allowed us to celebrate not only his life but also the remarkable community he was so proud to be part of. These stories belong to all of us. They are part of our shared Cape Town heritage.”
What’s even more meaningful is that this book is a celebration of a community whose contribution to Cape Town has often gone unrecognised. The Cape Coloured community has enriched the city’s culture with its humour, creativity, resilience, entrepreneurship and deep sense of family for generations. This is a tribute to that legacy, made with warmth and enormous affection.
Rather than dwelling on what has been lost, the authors hope the book reminds South Africans of everything that continues to make the Cape Coloured community so special. Those qualities of warmth, generosity, resilience, humour and the ability to find joy even during difficult times.
“This book isn’t about looking backwards with sadness,” Jacobson explains. “It’s about looking back with gratitude and pride. The beach traders taught us that dignity comes through hard work, that laughter can brighten anyone’s day and that every person has a story worth telling. If readers finish this book feeling proud of our community and our heritage, then we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do.”
Beautifully illustrated with photographs, memories and poetry, A Lolly to Make You Jolly – In Memory of Our Forgotten People is a wonderful tribute to everyday people whose stories deserve to be told and treasured. It’s available now!
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