Malibongwe Drive

Malibongwe Drive, formerly known as Hans Strijdom Drive (Afrikaans: Hans Strijdom-rylaan), is a major road that runs through an industrial area in the northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. It connects Randburg with Northgate. Malibongwe is said to mean "be praised" or blessed and which the Johannesburg Development Agency says refers to the 1956 Women's March, a woman's march against the carrying of passes.[1]

Regional route R512
Route information
Maintained by Johannesburg Roads Agency and Department of Roads and Transport (Gauteng)
Length11 mi (18 km)
Major junctions
North end N14, Muldersdrift
  R114 Old Pretoria Road, near Lanseria
South Africa Drive, Cosmo City
R564 Witkoppen Road, North Riding
N1 Western Bypass, Ferndale
M6 CR Swart Dr, Ferndale
M6 Hans Schoeman Str/Hill Str, Ferndale
M13 Republic Rd, Ferndale
M8 South Rd, Linden
M6 Judges Ave, Cresta
South endWest Str, Cresta
Highway system
Numbered routes of South Africa

Hans Strijdom Drive, as well as another major Randburg road, Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, were renamed due to their strong ties to Apartheid. Despite the most popular suggestion for the new name being Nelson Mandela Drive, and Nkululeko Drive emerging as the chosen replacement, Hans Strijdom Drive was renamed Malibongwe Drive at the end of September 2007.

The reaction from businesses along Hans Strijdom Drive was generally negative, however, with only 20 percent [2] supporting the name change. Most businesses cited the high cost of having replacement stationery, business cards etc. made.

The Damelin Randburg campus is located on Malibongwe Drive.[3]

Route

Malibongwe Drive is part of the R512 Route, which connects Randburg with Lanseria International Airport, from the N1 Western Bypass junction northwards.

Controversy
A view across Malibongwe Drive, showing a newly installed road name marker, with the old name, Hans Strijdom-rylaan, still visible on the kerbstone

The change was part of an ongoing plan by the city of Johannesburg to create politically neutral names to replace "upsetting" reminders of South Africa's racial past. Many of the name changes in South Africa have been met with opposition as some citizens claim the changes to be all black-politically motivated as in OR Tambo. Yet the new name changes have included white historical figures as well, such as Beyers Naude and Bram Fischer (previously DF Malan and Hendrik Verwoerd respectively). Of course, both were anti-apartheid activists.

References
  1. "Hendrik Verwoerd Drive is no longer". IOL. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  2. Tammy O'Reilly, "RANDBURG ROADS NOT FINAL" Archived 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, http://www.joburg.org.za, January 26, 2007.
  3. http://www.damelin.co.za/campus/gauteng/randburg

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