In honour of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Authorities renamed a road in Johannesburg, South Africa. William Nicol Drive was changed to Winnie Mandela Drive by the city on Tuesday.
“This milestone reflects the city’s deep commitment to preserving the memory and legacy of the iconic Winnie Madikizela Mandela,” the city administration said in a statement.
William Nicol was a church preacher and educator during the apartheid era who promoted the use of Afrikaans in South African classrooms.
The renaming was deemed “a step towards dismantling the symbols and remnants of oppression and subjugation” in South Africa, according to Johannesburg’s mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.
On September 26, which would have been Mrs. Mandela’s 87th birthday, the road will be unveiled. 2018 saw the end of her lengthy illness.
The resolution to rename the route was brought up by South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, which declared that doing so would “ensure that future generations are reminded of the sacrifices and achievements of those who fought against apartheid and other injustices.”