|
Plaques are planned for over a hundred significant sites in Alexandra, from Nelson Mandela’s home to the headquarters of the fearsome Msomi Gang.
ALEXANDRA’S intriguing history and heritage will be acknowledged when 16 plaques are placed around the township, saluting individuals, groups and historic events.
The Anglican Mission School plaque
Perhaps the most significant site is the home of Nelson Mandela. He lived for a short while in 1941 and ’42 at what is now called Mandela’s Yard; he occupied the single back room of the house owned by the Xhoma family at 46 Seventh Avenue.
The offices of the person who started Alexandra, HB Papenfus, will also be indicated with a plaque. In 1904, Papenfus tried to establish the site as a suburb for whites. But when no whites responded, it was proclaimed a “native township” in 1912. He ran his Alexandra Township Company, from where he sold plots to blacks and coloureds, from the site.
The former first lady, Zanele Mbeki, spent her childhood in Alexandra. Her home has been demolished but a plaque will be mounted on a plinth at the site. Also demolished are two other sites – the Serote family home, belonging to Alinah and Wally Mongane Serote, and the Twelve Apostles Church of Africa – but they will be honoured in the same way.
Several other churches in the township – St Engenas, the Zion Christian Church, the African Methodist Episcopal church, the Anglican Mission School, and the St Hubert’s Catholic Church – will be acknowledged too.
The original Alex township is about one square mile in size, but has many places of worship. Eventually all of them will be acknowledged with plaques: the Mary Immaculate Catholic Church, the Oblate Mazenod Mission House, the Convent of St Angela, the Missionary Church, the Alexandra Baptist Church, the Apostolic Strangers of South Africa, the Alexandra Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Gereformeerde Church, the Full Gospel Church of God, the Christian Apostolic Church in Zion in South Africa, the Evangelical Church in South Africa, the Alexandra Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Assembly of God, the Ethiopian Church, and the Zion Combination Church of South Africa.
Besides the many denominations represented in the township, the range of places where plaques will be positioned points to the colourful history of Alex.
Other sites
The PLD Hall, in Ninth Avenue, was the first community hall in Alex, a venue for political meetings and cultural events, including rehearsals of the Dark City Sisters. The first president of an independent Mozambique, the late Samora Machel, lived in a room behind the hall when he worked at a Joburg hotel in the 1950s and ‘60s.
Mandela’s Yard, where he stayed when he first came to Joburg in the early 1940s
The Piliso home in Third Avenue will also be acknowledged with a plaque. It was the home of Topsy Piliso, an activist in the 1950s and founder of the Anti-TB Association. She is the mother of the saxophonist, composer and arranger Edmund Ntemi Piliso, who has a street named after him in Newtown.
The homes of two former cabinet ministers, the late Alfred Nzo and the late Joe Nhlanhla, will receive plaques.
Many struggle sites will be given recognition: the Madala Hostel, Beirut, Betty Mampa’s house, Freedom Square No 2, Bessie Mandita’s house, the Wynberg Police Station, and Roosevelt Street, where pass books were burnt.
Gangsters and musicians
The Msomi Gang headquarters in Eighth Avenue will also receive a plaque. In the 1940s and ‘50s, gangs ruled the township. The building was their headquarters, from where they conducted a reign of terror on township residents. The ANC also used the building at the time.
The second Msomi Gang headquarters in 12th Avenue, a single-storey corner shop building, will also be acknowledged.
Trumpeter Hugh Masekela lived in Alex as a young boy after his father had taken up a position as health inspector in the township in 1947. His home was also in 12th Avenue.
Kings Cinema in Second Avenue, for some time the busiest cinema in the township, will be given a plaque. In the 1940s and ‘50s, the Alexandra All Star Band and the Jazz Maniacs performed here.
Sportsmen
The Moshoeu family home in 12th Avenue was the home of John “Shoes” Moshoeu, a star of the Bafana Bafana team. When the team won the African Cup of Nations Cup in 1996, impromptu celebrations were held at the house.
Another sportsman, Jeffrey Jazz, will also be acknowledged. A golfer who represented the country, his house is in Third Avenue.
Cemeteries and schools
The Old Graveyard, on the corner of Roosevelt Street and Sixth Avenue, will be given a plaque. Many of Alex’s first residents were buried here. No graves can be detected these days as a football field now covers them. The other cemeteries of Alex – the East Bank, Marlboro and Jukskei – will also receive plaques.
The Piliso family home plaque, one of the houses built in the 1940s
Various schools, particularly mission schools, will be acknowledged. The Coloured Church and School, and the Gordon Community School catered for coloureds, who were the first homeowners in Alex, together with a sprinkling of blacks. In the 1960s and ‘70s, they were relocated to areas like Noordegesig, Eldorado Park and Rabie Ridge. The community lived mostly in Second, Third and Fourth avenues.
The Methodist Church and School offered boarding facilities and classes up to matric. When the state took over mission schools after 1953, this school refused to relinquish its control, and retained its independence. It became a private school in 1988.
The Amalgamated Primary School, dating back to 1927, was built by the Apostolic Church. It was established when a number of small mission schools amalgamated. Many prominent Alexandrans either attended it or taught here.
Cardboard plaques
Temporary cardboard plaques were erected at the first 16 heritage sites, to allow residents to become familiar with them and to give feedback on them.
The plaques have been made as a standard circular blue emblem, an internationally recognised heritage symbol. Each contains the City of Joburg logo. The City has paid for each plaque, costing R4 000, which includes research, production and installation.
The permanent Alex plaques are made of a moulded resin composite, with the text printed on glass. Other plaques around the city are made of glass, ceramics, metal and granite.
The City has undertaken the task of compiling the Johannesburg Heritage Register on behalf of the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority of Gauteng. This is being done in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act.
Sites have been identified and researched through the Alexandra Tourism Development Project. Information on the history and significance of each site is included in the heritage tourism map, and in the exhibitions at the Alexandra Heritage Centre.
In November 2008, a book entitled Alexandra: A History was published, giving a detailed history of this fascinating township. The book was extensively researched through interviews with the Alex community, during which the 100 heritage sites were identified.
Related stories:
|
