No Longer at This Address – From Commercial Road to Dr AB Xuma Street

Commercial Road shares its name with streets all over the English-speaking world. The first Commercial Road was probably in London, where it was built by the Commercial Road Company. Similarly named Roads are generally named for the economic activity to which they played host when they were built. Today Commercial Road is mostly home to … Read more

No Longer at This Address – From Stanger Street to Stalwart Simelane Street

Stanger Street was named after William Stanger the first Surveyor General of Natal and was intimately involved in giving Durban its currrent form.  Although  Stanger’s achievements are no longer celebrated with a road name, the town of Stangerstill retains his name, as does the Stangeria eriopus, otherwise known as Stanger’s cycad, which Stanger misidentified as … Read more

Akuselona leli kheli – Kusuka ekubeni u-Aliwal Street kwaba uSamora Machel Street

Sekuyisikhathi eside saqala ukusebenza ngohleko lwe- ‘No Longer at This Address’ (Akuselona leli Kheli) lapho sibheka khona umlando wezinguquko zomgwaqo (ezithile ezinempikiswano) eThekwini. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi akuwona wonke amagama emigwaqo emisha aqanjwe ngamagama abantu baseNingizimu Afrika, kanti ambalwa impela aqanjwe ngamaqhawe omzabalazo aphesheya. USamora Machel Street, owayekade eyi-Aliwal Street, ukuhlonipha umholi wangaphambili wezinguquko nomongameli waseMozambique. Wazalwa ngo-1933 … Read more

No longer at This Address – the renaming of Durban’s streets

In early 2007 the African National Congress majority within the eThekwini Municipality approved a street renaming process that resulted in the renaming of over 100 prominent streets after various individuals who fought against the colonial and apartheid regimes. The process led to an unprecedented degree of public attention and debate. Among the first name changes … Read more

Akuselona leli kheli – Kusuba ekubeni uCommercial Road kwaba uDr AB Xuma Street

UCommercial Road wabelana ngegama lawo nezitaladi kuwo wonke umhlaba okhuluma isiNgisi. Umgwaqo wokuqala wezohwebo mhlawumbe wawuseLondon, lapho wakhiwa khona yiCommercial Road Company. Imigwaqo ebizwa ngokufanayo ibizwa ngokujwayelekile ngomsebenzi wezomnotho ebeziyinxenye lapho yakhiwa. Namuhla uCommercial Road iningi lezitolo zezindwangu futhi yakha umngcele oseningizimu we-Indian Quarter yaseThekwini. U-Alfred Bitini Xuma wazalwa ngo-1893 emndenini ohloniphekile wamaXhosa eTranskei. Kusukela … Read more

Akuselona leli kheli – Kusuka ekubeni uWest Street Kwaba uDr Pixley kaSeme Street

UWest Street kufanele kube ngomunye wemigwaqo edume kakhulu eThekwini, edabula phakathi nendawo enkabeni yedolobha (CBD). Lomgwaqo waqanjwa kabusha ngo-2007 ukuhlonipha ummeli wokuqala omnyama waseNingizimu Afrika, uDokotela Pixley KaSeme. Umshana kaJohn Dube, uKaSeme wathuthela eMelika wayofunda eColumbia University, kwathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wathuthela eNgilandi eyofunda ezomthetho e-Oxford University. Ngo-1911 uKaSeme wabuyela eNingizimu Afrika futhi waba neqhaza elikhulu … Read more