Unofficial
History of Alexandra
An official history of Alexandra (click
for details) was published in 2008 and obviously supersedes this
brief earlier summary.
Alexandra has been in existence for ninety years. During this
period the area has undergone numerous changes and many painful
transitions. This page does not attempt to outline the full history of
Alexandra, but rather highlights some historically significant events.
The information set out below has been culled from many sources,
including the background research done for the Alexandra Renewal
Project. More recently, it has been updated in conjunction with the Alexandra
Development Forum for Alexandra's 90th anniversary.
The process of writing the history of Alexandra is ongoing and the
residents of Alexandra are being consulted and interviewed as part of
this process.
The writing of a Social History of Greater Alexandra is one of the
priorities of the Heritage functional area. As the results of their
in-depth investigation are made available, they will be added to this
website too.
1904 - The beginning
The land on which Alexandra is situated was originally part of a
farm owned by a Mr Papenfus. In 1904, he endeavored to establish a
white residential township on a portion of his farm, which he named
after his wife, Alexandra. There were no takers, owing to the
considerable distance (at that time) of the township from the center
of Johannesburg.
1912 - Township proclamation
In 1912, Alexandra was proclaimed a 'native township'. The township
was proclaimed prior to the 1913 Land Act and was thus one of the few
areas where black people could own land under freehold title in urban
areas.
1916 - Funding and responsibility
In 1916, the Alexandra Health Committee was established to manage
Alexandra. At that time, the township had a population of 30,000
people. The Committee was not, however, allowed to raise funds for
management. Nor was the Johannesburg City Council willing to take
responsibility for an area that apparently fell outside of its area of
jurisdiction. The lack of resources and management grew more severe
each year, with matters exacerbated by an ever-increasing population.
1948 – Apartheid control and reduction of population
In 1948 under apartheid the administration of Alexandra fell under the
direct control of the then Department of Native Affairs. The main
strategies for Alexandra were the reduction of the population, the
control of movement into the area and the expropriation of freehold
property. Unlike many freehold areas occupied by blacks such as
Sophiatown, it was never the intention to remove Alexandra entirely.
It was too valuable as a labour pool to serve the northern suburbs of
Johannesburg. Nonetheless approximately 50 000 people were forcibly
moved to Thembisa and Soweto.
The residents of Alexandra were actively involved in the liberation
struggle during this period. Two significant events in this regard
include:
The 1942 Bus Boycott which was sparked by the confiscation of Mr
Baloyi (one of the Black Business Pioneer’s) busses which served
Alexandra as public transport and the introduction of the PUTCO buses.
In 1956 the women of Alexandra participated in numerous marches and
protests against the extension of the pass laws to women. In one of
the protests the women of Alexandra were arrested with some of their
children and were sent to Number 4 Prison. One of the women gave birth
in the prison. All the women were released to go home but they refused
until water was splashed on them with hosepipes, to flush them out of
the prison. These demonstrations and protest led the women of
Alexandra to participate in the famous march to Pretoria in August of
that year.
In 1957 another Bus Boycott was triggered by a penny increase on the
PUTCO busses. Residents used the slogan ‘Azikhwelwa’ and walked to and
from Alexandra to work along Louis Botha, a trip that often was 15 to
30km. The boycott lasted for 180 days.
1960 – The hostels
A decision was reached in the early 1960s to demolish all properties
in Alex and to rebuild the area as a "hostel city’. Family
accommodation was to be eliminated and 25 hostels each housing about
2500 ‘single’ people were to be built.
Despite resistance and protest, the construction of hostels went
ahead. Three were completed – two for men and one for women. In the
mid-1970s the plans were shelved. The reasons were the high financial
costs, mounting opposition, and the lack of accommodation for
displaced persons.
The Soweto Riots in June 1976 spread to other urban areas in the
country including Alexandra where 19 people were killed. After this
period the government adopted a softer approach towards urban blacks.
They were no longer regarded as ‘temporary sojourners’ and their
permanent status was recognised. Evictions, removals and the
expropriation of properties were halted. Alexandra was reprieved in
1979 and given full status as a residential area.
1980 - The 'Master Plan'
In 1980 it was announced that a ‘Master Plan’ for Alexandra was being
prepared. The basis for the Plan was a complete new layout. This
ambitious proposal was described as a ‘Garden City’. Alexandra was to
be divided into new suburbs with a central business area, light
industry, sports complexes and an interlinked system of parks, The
Plan required the acquisition of all properties and the demolition of
all houses. Only a small part of the Plan was implemented – areas now
known as Phases 1, 2 and 10.
In February 1986 a violent uprising called the ‘Alex Six Days’
occurred in which 40 people were killed. The demands by residents was
the rejection of the Black Local Authorities and the forced
resignation of the Councilors. This occurred in April and Alexandra
did not have a local municipal administration and the implementation
of the ‘Master Plan’ came to a halt.
1986 - The Urban Renewal Plan
This revised programme coincided with the declaration of a State of
Emergency. The new planning process was driven by the State Security
Council (SSC) and its local arm the Mini Joint Management Committee (JMC).
The approach was to "win the hearts and minds" of residents through a
two-pronged approach. The development of the area accompanied by harsh
repression of protesters, which culminated with two treason trials
involving 13 leaders of Alexandra.
The essence of the plan was to implement it as quickly as possible.
Plans were hastily redrawn and engineers, supported by members of the
defence force, drove the process. The emphasis was on the provision of
engineering services which required considerable demolitions and the
disruption of households.
The number of people moving into Alexandra increased substantially.
This was not taken into account nor was suitable alternative land made
available to accommodate those who were displaced. A new area known as
the East Bank was built during this period. New infrastructure was
insufficient to cater for the demands of the population, proper
maintenance was difficult and infrastructure quickly deteriorated. By
the end of 1990 the programme was abandoned.
1990 - Peace with problems
The period between 1991 and 1992 was one of communal and political
turmoil in which many died or were injured, or displaced from their
homes. The worst out break of unrest occurred in 1992 between
residents in the men’s hostels and the residents to the south of the
hostel - an area dubbed as "Beirut" and now part of the Reconstruction
Area (RCA) development precinct.
This period was followed by widespread peace initiatives and
processes. Also the multi party negotiations at Kempton Park were
concluded, which led to the peaceful first Democratic elections in
April 27, 1994, at which one of the former residents of Alexandra, Mr
Nelson Mandela, became the first democratically elected Black
President of the Republic of South Africa.
Alexandra in the 1990s
While Alex faces many of the problems and challenges typical of the
former black townships it has many unique characteristics stemming
from its history and its location near to places of work. There are
few successful examples to draw from in this initiative to undertake
the reconstruction and urban renewal of Alexandra, and success will
depend on the commitment of all the role-players and stakeholders to a
single, well-defined course of action.
|
