Popular Johannesburg road changing it's name
Name changes within South Africa are quite common and a major one has officially been confirmed.
At the start of September, the ANC in Johannesburg announced that it had made headway in its attempts to change the popular William Nicol Drive in Sandton to Winnie Mandela Drive.
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William Nicol Drive is one of South Africa's most well-known street names, but the City of Johannesburg has announced that the change has been approved.
The process, which started in March 2021, has involved many petitions and proposals in favour of this change - and it has finally paid off.
In a historic move, the City of Johannesburg is set to rename William Nicol Drive to Winnie Mandela Drive! 🛣️ Join us in celebrating this meaningful tribute to a national icon on her 87th birthday, 26th September. 🎉 #WinnieMandelaDrive #JoburgRoads #JHBTraffic ^NJ pic.twitter.com/gvsqBJyExx
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) September 22, 2023
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Even before the approval of the name change, the late former mayor of Johannesburg, Geoffry Makhubo, defended the move:
Names carry history. They say something about those whose contributions are deemed worthy of a public and multi-generational memory. These are by their very nature contentious and that is why they must always be treated with the sensitivity they deserve. This renaming of one of the city’s iconic landmarks is as a result of the council’s commitment to social transformation and cohesion. It symbolises the immeasurable commitment of Mama Winnie to the struggle for humanity and liberation of our country.
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From 1948 to 1958, William Nicol was the administrator of the former Transvaal during the road's construction.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was, of course, an iconic South African anti-apartheid activist and politician; she held multiple positions in government and was also married to former president Nelson Mandela.
Mama Winnie passed away in 2018 and many feel that this would be a wonderful way to honour her legacy.
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