Museum and Community Centre in a Township of Johannesburg
The township Alexandra, located in northern central Johannesburg, covers an area of less than eight square kilometres, yet it is home to nearly half a million people. It was established in 1912 as a district where black South Africans could buy freehold land and erect property. In the course of time, the original well-built housing has been engulfed by extensive‚ “informal” developments built in response to the need for accommodation for migrant labour. In view of its central location and the high value of land, the township became a strategic problem for the apartheid regime. Staunch community resistance to attempts at forced removal led to the abolition of all ownership rights, as well as a denial of basic services. “Alex” became a symbol of the struggle against the regime as well as a place of artistic freedom and culture. Music, especially jazz, flourished. Famous residents included the artist David Koloane, the poet Mongane Wally Serote, the jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela, and Nelson Mandela.
