The Alexandra Heritage Centre, one of the township’s longest-standing white elephants, could soon become functional.
Completion of the centre has stalled for more than 15 years but the City of Johannesburg has stepped in and expressed interest in making sure the project is completed. The centre was conceptualised as a place for residents and visitors to learn and enjoy the history and heritage of Alexandra. Its construction started in 2001 and even though it’s incomplete, it still attracts many visitors keen to learn about Alexandra’s rich history.
The Johannesburg Development Agency has stepped in to complete the infrastructure and other components. Leonard Visagie of the agency said, “A lot of work is needed to complete the building. We will decide on suitable companies for this work with the aim to get construction started in July this year and completed in February 2015.”
Thabo Mopasi, a social history researcher familiar with the centre is pleased with this development. He said, “All consultative processes and infrastructure developments for this project stopped six years ago.
“This has resulted in an incomplete project which also includes the restoration of the late former President Nelson Mandela’s former residence. The residence has become a hiding place for criminals who rob people especially at night and early morning. I am confident this will stop after the project has been completed as I have full confidence in the Johannesburg Development Agency which has a good record of completing its work.”
The initial plan for the centre includes rooms and open spaces for exhibitions and archives for photographs, artwork, drawings and documents depicting the history of the area, tourism information, restaurant and retail outlets for visitors to purchase crafts from local entrepreneurs.
Mopasi is hoping that the renewed development will attract the community to get involved in the tourism aspect because of its huge economic potential to them.
