Road named after Winnie Mandela
The city of Johannesburg in South Africa has named a road after anti-apartheid hero, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The city on Tuesday renamed William Nicol Drive to Winnie Mandela Drive.
“This milestone reflects the city’s deep commitment to preserving the memory and legacy of the iconic Winnie Madikizela Mandela,” the city administration said in a statement.
William Nicol was an apartheid-era church minister and educator who advocated for the use of Afrikaans in South African schools.
Johannesburg’s mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, described the renaming as “a step towards dismantling the symbols and remnants of oppression and subjugation” in South Africa.
The unveiling of the road on September 26 coincides with what would have been Mrs Mandela’s 87th birthday.
She died in 2018 after a long illness.
South Africa’s governing African National Congress, which initiated the motion to rename the road in 2018, said that the move will ensure “that future generations are reminded of the sacrifices and achievements of those who fought against apartheid and other injustices”.
