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Alexandra is almost a century old, having survived apartheid, security police raids, boycotts and protests. Now some of its prominent sons and daughters are being remembered.
Roosevelt Street in Alex is set to be renamed Alfred Nzo Street
SOME prominent streets and a stadium in Alexandra are to be renamed after the township's apartheid struggle heroes.
The unveiling of the new names, to coincide with a ceremony to honour those heroes - some of whom are still alive - will take place at Alexandra Stadium on 25 October 2008. The renaming is part of the major infrastructural upgrades being done by the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP).
Alex, as the township is affectionately known, has a rich social and political history; it was founded more than nine decades ago. The most significant events are the 1942 and 1957 bus boycotts and the 1956 protests against the extension of pass laws to women.
During these upheavals, people like Florence Moposho, Richard Baloyi, Reverend Sam Buti, Alfred Nzo, Josias Madzunya, Vincent Tshabalala and Meshack Kunene emerged as prominent leaders in the community.
Now they will not only be honoured for the part they played in dismantling apartheid, but will be remembered for their role in developing the township in the fields of sport, education, politics, culture, social life and business.
Florence Moposho Street
On 25 October, Vasco da Gama Street will officially become Florence Moposho Street. A prominent activist, Moposho died in exile in 1985. She was the first woman from Alex to be elected to the African National Congress (ANC) national committee.
Moposho participated in many political activities in the township, including the 1957 bus boycott. When the ANC was banned she went into exile and rose up the party's ranks until she was elected to the national executive at the Morogoro Conference in Tanzania in 1969.
Originally from the Free State, Moposho's family settled in Alexandra in 1912 and still lives in the township.
Richard Baloyi Street
Richard Baloyi is recognised as one of the martyrs of the Alex bus boycotts. A prominent businessman in the township, Baloyi lived in Second Avenue and played a leading role in the area's civic matters, contributing to its general governance and fighting against the injustices meted out to blacks.
He died in 1962 after playing a huge part in reshaping Alex. Hofmeyr Street will be renamed after Baloyi.
Reverend Sam Buti Street
In recognition of his role in the "Save Alexandra" campaign which ended victoriously in 1997, Selbourne Street will be named after Reverend Sam Buti. Buti played a big role in a campaign to look for alternative accommodation when Alex was condemned to extinction by a parliamentary resolution in 1958.
He mobilised support to help feed and provide necessities such as blankets, clothes and mattresses for displaced families in Alex. He also helped residents to acquire identity documents, known as "dompas", which allowed blacks to stay in the cities.
Buti is still alive and is expected to be one of the guests at the renaming and commemoration ceremony.
Alfred Nzo Street
One of the well-known roads in Alex, Roosevelt Street, will be renamed after struggle stalwart Alfred Nzo. Nzo was the longest serving secretary-general of the ANC. An Alex resident in the 1950s and 1960s, Nzo was a community activist and participated in civic matters and the bus boycott.
He went into exile in 1964 and was elected secretary-general of the party at the Morogoro Conference in Tanzania. After the first democratic elections in 1994, Nzo was appointed minister of foreign affairs. He died in 2000.
Josias Madzunya Street
One of the most prominent political activists to emerge from Alex in the 1950s was Josias Madzunya. Well-known for his trademark coat, which he wore whether it was hot or cold, Madzunya was active in the ANC and formed part of the Alexandra and Transvaal leadership.
He participated in the 1950s defiance campaigns against apartheid policies such as Bantu education and laws that excluded blacks from entering certain places. He was arrested many times and was banished to Venda in what is now Limpopo province.
Madzunya died in the early 1970s; Rooth Street will be renamed after him.
Vincent Tshabalala Street
One of the main streets in Alex, London Road, will be renamed after Vincent Tshabalala, a student and youth activist, and intellectual. Born in 1964, Tshabalala was one of the martyrs of the struggle.
He left South Africa in 1983 and joined the ranks of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC's military wing, later returning on military and underground missions. He was sold out and was killed in a street battle with police at the corner of London Road and 12th Avenue in 1985.
Meshack Kunene Stadium
Alexandra Stadium is one of the places being upgraded under the ARP. Work has to be done in phases as it is still being used during these renovations.
The project includes the full installation of all engineering services and the addition of commercial sites and public facilities.
It will be renamed Meshack Kunene Stadium after the 23-year-old activist who was killed by security police on 30 June 1990 during a welcome rally for the ANC secretary-general, Alfed Nzo.
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