December 5, 2002
By Mandisi Majavu
THE humble abode which Nelson Mandela occupied when he first came to Joburg during the early 1940s is to be transformed into a heritage attraction site.
The yard and the room that he rented are to be developed into what will be known as the Mandela Yard Interpretation Centre. The site is located at the intersection of Hofmeyer Street and 7th Avenue. At present it is unoccupied, but tourist guides are already bringing people there.
Among other development plans in store are the renovations of the room Mandela occupied, the installation of an audio-visual display and the construction of a visitor information and interpretation centre with exhibition space.
This will not operate as a "standalone facility" but will form an integral part of a proposed cultural history museum. An exhibition that will tell the story of the development, growth and renewal of Alexandra over the past 100 years will be planned, designed, researched, produced and installed, according to the Gauteng Tourism Authority.
The main aim of the project is to provide opportunities for visitors to gain an insight into a particular aspect of Alexandra's history and heritage, while providing a chance for residents to benefit economically from it. This will be achieved by including small-scale refreshment and retail opportunities for the Alex community.
Furthermore, local residents will form the core of the exhibition development team, says the Gauteng Tourism Authority.
A significant proportion of the budget has been allocated to training and skills development initiatives. Alexandra residents will be employed wherever possible and appropriate; however, women, youth, and the disabled will be given a first priority.
The one-roomed house where Nelson Mandela lived for three years
The plans are to integrate the Mandela Yard with the heritage tourism route through Alex to offer visitors a clear view over the township to complement historical information contained in the exhibition, says the Gauteng Tourism Authority.
However, the development and the renovations have not begun, says Eric Itzkin, a deputy director for the Joburg immovable heritage department. He says the main step was to allocate land for the purpose of constructing a heritage site in Alexendra.
And now, the next big step is to decide on the date the renovations will begin.
