The human rights NGO, #Africa4Palestine, welcomes and proudly supports the City of Johannesburg’s recent efforts to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khalid Drive. This historic and significant motion, adopted by a majority vote in the city council in 2018, reflects a powerful show of solidarity by several political parties, including the African National Congress (ANC), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and Al Jamah, in support of the Palestinian people and their struggle against Israeli oppression.
The City of Johannesburg is fully within its rights to rename streets and public spaces in honor of individuals who embody shared histories, values, and aspirations. Our own heritage and the fight for decolonization remind us that this is more than just a name change—it is a profound recognition of our collective struggle against colonialism and oppression. It connects our past to the present and demonstrates solidarity with those who are oppressed, as they stood with us during the darkest days of Apartheid.
The City of Johannesburg has long maintained cordial relations with Palestine, formalised by a twinning agreement and memorandum of cooperation with the Palestinian city of Ramallah in 2015. As a gesture of friendship, Johannesburg proudly donated a 20-foot statue of former President Nelson Mandela—a lifelong supporter of the Palestinian cause—which now stands in Nelson Mandela Square in the heart of Ramallah. This name change is a reciprocal act of solidarity, recognizing the deep and historic ties between South Africa and Palestine.
#Africa4Palestine has consistently advocated for the implementation of this resolution since its adoption in 2018. Our efforts have included protests, public meetings with city officials, and ongoing communication with the mayor's office. Notably, our protest on April 14, 2023, drew the backing of over 35 South African organizations, trade unions, women's groups, youth formations, and political parties, bringing hundreds of supporters together in favor of this important action by the city.
Renaming Sandton Drive is an important symbolic gesture of solidarity with the Palestinian people, with whom we share a common history of resistance against apartheid and oppression. As Nelson Mandela famously said, "We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians."
We urge all South Africans to support this motion by clicking this link or pasting it in. your browser (https://tinyurl.com/renamesandtondrive) by the deadline of October 15, 2024. We cannot stand idly by as our Palestinian brothers and sisters suffer and die at the hands of Israeli forces. The least we can do, we must do.
ISSUED BY ALIE KOMAPE ON BEHALF OF AFRICA4PALESTINE
Africa4Palestine Communications and Campaigns Manager, Alie Komape: +27 (0) 76 979 8801
