Date: 25/11/2002
Source: Ministry of Housing
Title: Mthembi-Mahanyele: Alexandra celebrations
ADDRESS BY HOUSING MINISTER SANKIE MTHEMBI-MAHANYELE, AT THE ALEXANDRA 90th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, 25 November 2002
Programme Director,
MEC for Housing Mr. Paul Mashatile,
Governor of the Reserve Bank Mr. Tito Mboweni,
Mayor Masondo,
Veterans present here today,
Councillors,
Icons of Alexandra,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Ninety (90) years ago a seed was buried on the ground we stand on today. A community blossomed around this area. The people who lived here were tolerated by the old regime as long as they provided labour to the surrounding industries. The place came to be called Alexandra and it popularly became Alex. Nine decades of colonial rule saw Alex grow and develop to be one of the strongest quarters of political resistance. Alex became the seat of revolution driven by some of the greatest leaders in the struggle.
Battles were fought in the streets of Alex; the children of Alex won some of the battles but also lost some. The blood of warriors, patriots and volunteers was shed for freedom.
Alexandra wears many scars, as one walks around the community the pain, suffering and poverty reminds us that we have just emerged from a human tragedy perpetrated by a brutal system called apartheid. The underlying socio-economic effects of this dastardly system remain, and what we are confronted by now is a sea of hungry little faces, a sprawl of informal settlements, joblessness and a hatred and anger turned against women and children. Our enemy, dear ladies and gentlemen, is poverty that was worsened by a history of brutal injustice, which we have to unlock and unweave in a deliberate and systematic manner.
We are gathered here today to express a collective acknowledgement of who we are and where we come from. We are the offspring of a seed planted many years ago, nourished and tendered by our forefathers, a calibre of leaders seasoned through struggle, guided and driven by the desire to mobilise and fight for change. A vision for liberation cast in values and a culture of sacrifice and commitment for the country of ones birth. Many of the liberation struggle leaders and patriots chose to be part and parcel of the positive influences flowing through the community, chose to contribute to speeding up the freedom of our nation and indeed succeeded to bring down the Apartheid system.
The majority of the population of those subjugated by the then system are now able to participate in bringing back humanity in our country. This is a choice the oppressed made and sacrificed for, however it is not the end of the story because the scars remain and we ourselves must heal from this scars. We should apply the everyday ointment that will begin to heal the wounds. This requires us to understand and change from what apartheid wanted us to be, but to become what we want to be, by creating an environment that is non-violent, non-abusive to women and children, an environment of respect for the vulnerable and old.
Alexandra carries a great history and culture of protest and challenge. People in Alex have had to live under extreme conditions of repression but never lost the spirit to fight for what is right and honourable. The youth of the 1970's emulated their forebears when they took to the streets to express the anger of being treated as slaves in the land of their birth. They rejected the negative vibes contaminating our people and chose to fight for liberation.
We are once more as Government calling upon our men folk and the entire society to show respect and dignity to women and children because amongst us there are those who refuse to reclaim their dignity and humanity and continue to display barbaric habits governed by the law of the jungle. Abuse of the weak and old, women and children cannot be a sign of power nor manhood but rather sheer demonstration of cowardice and weakness. From today (25th November 2002) we as part of the United Nations join hands with the world to commemorate 16 days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. Decent and dignified folk pledge to "expose, oppose and combat all violence directed at women at children- in whatever form- wherever they encounter it, be it in their homes, the workplace or in their community. Let us make sure that as we celebrate 90 years of pride of being a community of leaders and freedom fighters, women and child abuse becomes a thing of the past. Alex has done great things before, I know that if the leadership and households in Alex took it upon themselves to rid Alex of woman and child abuse it can be realised.
As we celebrate 90 years of political and cultural resilience let us rededicate ourselves to redress the anomalies existing in our community. It is not beyond us to bring back dignity, respect, love and honour within our homes. We have to deal a final blow to those ills in our society that draw us back and hinder the potential to grow and develop as a people, therefore, the challenge confronting us as we celebrate 90 years of existence is to introduce norms and values that can build and sustain us from generation to generation.
Alexandra is a home to many people coming from other parts of the country including people from across the borders of this country. It is therefore not surprising that during the WSSD Conference many of our guests expressed the wish to visit Alexandra and experience the pulse of a people whose spirit was never broken by oppression. They came and saw the overcrowded settlement; the declining infrastructure, but they also witnessed the beginnings of a settlement that will in future be integrated and sustainable. They experienced through Alex this government's determination to fight poverty and want.
Government identified Alex as one of its Urban Renewal Programmes despite the fact that it is one of the largest and most challenging. We did not escape to easier areas but came to Alex because we understood very well that success in Alex will necessitate and motivate success in other poverty stricken communities that are of a lesser scale than Alex.
Our government is faced with many huge challenges that will require a bit of time to resolve. This should not intimidate after all we have no choice but to tackle the problems head on with vigour and zest never seen before. Forty years of oppression do not just disappear overnight, patience and consistency and sacrifice will be required. Confidence and determination to rid ourselves of poverty should keep us focussed towards improving our lot. Eight years of governance have brought us hope where there was none. Today we can talk of projects such as:
* The Riverpark Housing project, which provided 777 housing units, completed in June 2002; Government spent R30 million in developing the project
* The Extension 7 Housing Project located in the East Bank of Alexandra is an institutional housing development
--Development consists 1704 units, which will have two and three storey walk-ups
--The work is in progress and the top structures, I am told, commenced in September 2002
--The project will cost us R97 million including the Capital Housing Subsidy allocation
--We will have 288 units from Phase 1 and 188 units from Phase 2. These Ladies and gentlemen will be rental units and not RDP free homes. So, the families who move in there will be expected to pay rentals
---For a bedsitter the rent for a start will R202
---One Bedroom unit will be R273
---Two bedroom units will cost R344 per month rent
---Three bedroom units will cost R485 per month.
The units will be allocated on a rental and rent-to-own bases. It is important for future clients to understand that these units are not for free to avoid confusion and conflict seen around the Tsutsumani flats.
We will also redevelop the hostels, we have cleaned the Jukskei River and other developments are taking place in this area. This is a befitting way of honouring those who fought and fell so that peace and stability become the tools with which we redress the wrongs of the past. At this point I want to commend and applaud the Alex residents who co-operated with Government in ensuring that the developments take place and we deliver as promised. The people of Alex ensured that the initial problems we experienced with detractors who would always invade the land announced for development are dealt with effectively.
Challenges faced by Alex residents are numerous, they are pressing and urgent as well, the need to accelerate delivery remains a priority for all of us, the involvement of all stakeholders is primary. Part of mobilising all the role-players is also to celebrate the achievements of our democratically elected government and successes achieved by individuals around us because as a few of us begin to lead the way in development so will the many that come behind them. Let us emulate both community and individual effort as part of what we learnt from the leaders who emerged from Alex.
Alex is a home to many leaders, sports personalities, artists, including former President Nelson Mandela, Mrs Zanele Mbeki, the late former President of Mozambique Samora Machel, the late Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Nzo, the late Minister of Defence Joe Modise, the former Minister for Intelligence Joe Nhlanhla, the Veteran activist Joe Jele, artists known even internationally: Wally Serote who introduced me to the heartthrobs of Alex by organising a room for me at 7th avenue in the 70s a place I occupied for a while before moving on to Meadowlands again.
Every historical moment produces a calibre of leadership from the population around. Alex contributed to the pool of leadership that was ready to take on the oppressive regime. Through the resilience of this leadership we know that Alex has stood the test of time and survived the harrowing winds of hardship and pain. Let all of us celebrate this 90 years of the birth of Alex with pride. We should rededicate ourselves a commitment, which pledges to carry forward the reconstructive work already taking place here. This can be the greatest honour to bestow on the people of this community- those who passed on, the current generation and the future offspring who should be proud to be born in an area with such great history.
Protest, resistance and challenge are rooted in the heart of Alex. Do you remember the famous bus boycotts, the underground operations of the 1950s, 1960s and the 70s up to the 90s - they were all not in vain. The leadership in Alex must take it upon itself to write the history of Alex, interview those who were there during the interesting times of the political and cultural growth in Alex. Someone in Alex has seen the township transform from one stage to the other this has to be told. The heritage sites identified in Alex must be protected and taken care of by the people of Alex. If we succeed in feeding the eye and the mind to remain conscious of the pulse of Alex we will have enriched the history of this country. The strength of any nation comes from its history especially the courage and prowess demonstrated by its leaders.
Unity has always been the trademark of this community; it is therefore the responsibility of each and every one of us to protect it jealously.
Residents of Alex continue to promote the positives around and this should include paying for your rates and services to assist Government to manage the affairs of this township with your help. It is important that we make Alex work by contributing towards its upkeep. Rates help pay for cleaning and maintaining an environmentally sound habitat.
Mayihlome Yakh'i Township!
Mayihlome Yakh'i Ubuntu!
Mayihlome yakh'i Sizwe!
Issued by Ministry of Housing
25 November 2002
Source: Ministry of Housing
Title: Mthembi-Mahanyele: Alexandra celebrations
ADDRESS BY HOUSING MINISTER SANKIE MTHEMBI-MAHANYELE, AT THE ALEXANDRA 90th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, 25 November 2002
Programme Director,
MEC for Housing Mr. Paul Mashatile,
Governor of the Reserve Bank Mr. Tito Mboweni,
Mayor Masondo,
Veterans present here today,
Councillors,
Icons of Alexandra,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Ninety (90) years ago a seed was buried on the ground we stand on today. A community blossomed around this area. The people who lived here were tolerated by the old regime as long as they provided labour to the surrounding industries. The place came to be called Alexandra and it popularly became Alex. Nine decades of colonial rule saw Alex grow and develop to be one of the strongest quarters of political resistance. Alex became the seat of revolution driven by some of the greatest leaders in the struggle.
Battles were fought in the streets of Alex; the children of Alex won some of the battles but also lost some. The blood of warriors, patriots and volunteers was shed for freedom.
Alexandra wears many scars, as one walks around the community the pain, suffering and poverty reminds us that we have just emerged from a human tragedy perpetrated by a brutal system called apartheid. The underlying socio-economic effects of this dastardly system remain, and what we are confronted by now is a sea of hungry little faces, a sprawl of informal settlements, joblessness and a hatred and anger turned against women and children. Our enemy, dear ladies and gentlemen, is poverty that was worsened by a history of brutal injustice, which we have to unlock and unweave in a deliberate and systematic manner.
We are gathered here today to express a collective acknowledgement of who we are and where we come from. We are the offspring of a seed planted many years ago, nourished and tendered by our forefathers, a calibre of leaders seasoned through struggle, guided and driven by the desire to mobilise and fight for change. A vision for liberation cast in values and a culture of sacrifice and commitment for the country of ones birth. Many of the liberation struggle leaders and patriots chose to be part and parcel of the positive influences flowing through the community, chose to contribute to speeding up the freedom of our nation and indeed succeeded to bring down the Apartheid system.
The majority of the population of those subjugated by the then system are now able to participate in bringing back humanity in our country. This is a choice the oppressed made and sacrificed for, however it is not the end of the story because the scars remain and we ourselves must heal from this scars. We should apply the everyday ointment that will begin to heal the wounds. This requires us to understand and change from what apartheid wanted us to be, but to become what we want to be, by creating an environment that is non-violent, non-abusive to women and children, an environment of respect for the vulnerable and old.
Alexandra carries a great history and culture of protest and challenge. People in Alex have had to live under extreme conditions of repression but never lost the spirit to fight for what is right and honourable. The youth of the 1970's emulated their forebears when they took to the streets to express the anger of being treated as slaves in the land of their birth. They rejected the negative vibes contaminating our people and chose to fight for liberation.
We are once more as Government calling upon our men folk and the entire society to show respect and dignity to women and children because amongst us there are those who refuse to reclaim their dignity and humanity and continue to display barbaric habits governed by the law of the jungle. Abuse of the weak and old, women and children cannot be a sign of power nor manhood but rather sheer demonstration of cowardice and weakness. From today (25th November 2002) we as part of the United Nations join hands with the world to commemorate 16 days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. Decent and dignified folk pledge to "expose, oppose and combat all violence directed at women at children- in whatever form- wherever they encounter it, be it in their homes, the workplace or in their community. Let us make sure that as we celebrate 90 years of pride of being a community of leaders and freedom fighters, women and child abuse becomes a thing of the past. Alex has done great things before, I know that if the leadership and households in Alex took it upon themselves to rid Alex of woman and child abuse it can be realised.
As we celebrate 90 years of political and cultural resilience let us rededicate ourselves to redress the anomalies existing in our community. It is not beyond us to bring back dignity, respect, love and honour within our homes. We have to deal a final blow to those ills in our society that draw us back and hinder the potential to grow and develop as a people, therefore, the challenge confronting us as we celebrate 90 years of existence is to introduce norms and values that can build and sustain us from generation to generation.
Alexandra is a home to many people coming from other parts of the country including people from across the borders of this country. It is therefore not surprising that during the WSSD Conference many of our guests expressed the wish to visit Alexandra and experience the pulse of a people whose spirit was never broken by oppression. They came and saw the overcrowded settlement; the declining infrastructure, but they also witnessed the beginnings of a settlement that will in future be integrated and sustainable. They experienced through Alex this government's determination to fight poverty and want.
Government identified Alex as one of its Urban Renewal Programmes despite the fact that it is one of the largest and most challenging. We did not escape to easier areas but came to Alex because we understood very well that success in Alex will necessitate and motivate success in other poverty stricken communities that are of a lesser scale than Alex.
Our government is faced with many huge challenges that will require a bit of time to resolve. This should not intimidate after all we have no choice but to tackle the problems head on with vigour and zest never seen before. Forty years of oppression do not just disappear overnight, patience and consistency and sacrifice will be required. Confidence and determination to rid ourselves of poverty should keep us focussed towards improving our lot. Eight years of governance have brought us hope where there was none. Today we can talk of projects such as:
* The Riverpark Housing project, which provided 777 housing units, completed in June 2002; Government spent R30 million in developing the project
* The Extension 7 Housing Project located in the East Bank of Alexandra is an institutional housing development
--Development consists 1704 units, which will have two and three storey walk-ups
--The work is in progress and the top structures, I am told, commenced in September 2002
--The project will cost us R97 million including the Capital Housing Subsidy allocation
--We will have 288 units from Phase 1 and 188 units from Phase 2. These Ladies and gentlemen will be rental units and not RDP free homes. So, the families who move in there will be expected to pay rentals
---For a bedsitter the rent for a start will R202
---One Bedroom unit will be R273
---Two bedroom units will cost R344 per month rent
---Three bedroom units will cost R485 per month.
The units will be allocated on a rental and rent-to-own bases. It is important for future clients to understand that these units are not for free to avoid confusion and conflict seen around the Tsutsumani flats.
We will also redevelop the hostels, we have cleaned the Jukskei River and other developments are taking place in this area. This is a befitting way of honouring those who fought and fell so that peace and stability become the tools with which we redress the wrongs of the past. At this point I want to commend and applaud the Alex residents who co-operated with Government in ensuring that the developments take place and we deliver as promised. The people of Alex ensured that the initial problems we experienced with detractors who would always invade the land announced for development are dealt with effectively.
Challenges faced by Alex residents are numerous, they are pressing and urgent as well, the need to accelerate delivery remains a priority for all of us, the involvement of all stakeholders is primary. Part of mobilising all the role-players is also to celebrate the achievements of our democratically elected government and successes achieved by individuals around us because as a few of us begin to lead the way in development so will the many that come behind them. Let us emulate both community and individual effort as part of what we learnt from the leaders who emerged from Alex.
Alex is a home to many leaders, sports personalities, artists, including former President Nelson Mandela, Mrs Zanele Mbeki, the late former President of Mozambique Samora Machel, the late Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Nzo, the late Minister of Defence Joe Modise, the former Minister for Intelligence Joe Nhlanhla, the Veteran activist Joe Jele, artists known even internationally: Wally Serote who introduced me to the heartthrobs of Alex by organising a room for me at 7th avenue in the 70s a place I occupied for a while before moving on to Meadowlands again.
Every historical moment produces a calibre of leadership from the population around. Alex contributed to the pool of leadership that was ready to take on the oppressive regime. Through the resilience of this leadership we know that Alex has stood the test of time and survived the harrowing winds of hardship and pain. Let all of us celebrate this 90 years of the birth of Alex with pride. We should rededicate ourselves a commitment, which pledges to carry forward the reconstructive work already taking place here. This can be the greatest honour to bestow on the people of this community- those who passed on, the current generation and the future offspring who should be proud to be born in an area with such great history.
Protest, resistance and challenge are rooted in the heart of Alex. Do you remember the famous bus boycotts, the underground operations of the 1950s, 1960s and the 70s up to the 90s - they were all not in vain. The leadership in Alex must take it upon itself to write the history of Alex, interview those who were there during the interesting times of the political and cultural growth in Alex. Someone in Alex has seen the township transform from one stage to the other this has to be told. The heritage sites identified in Alex must be protected and taken care of by the people of Alex. If we succeed in feeding the eye and the mind to remain conscious of the pulse of Alex we will have enriched the history of this country. The strength of any nation comes from its history especially the courage and prowess demonstrated by its leaders.
Unity has always been the trademark of this community; it is therefore the responsibility of each and every one of us to protect it jealously.
Residents of Alex continue to promote the positives around and this should include paying for your rates and services to assist Government to manage the affairs of this township with your help. It is important that we make Alex work by contributing towards its upkeep. Rates help pay for cleaning and maintaining an environmentally sound habitat.
Mayihlome Yakh'i Township!
Mayihlome Yakh'i Ubuntu!
Mayihlome yakh'i Sizwe!
Issued by Ministry of Housing
25 November 2002
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