by JAMEY GORDON
THE City of Cape Town has initiated a public-participation process on the proposed renaming of a memorial square in Strand.
Council is calling on the local community to submit their comments on the proposed renaming of the Ben Friedman Plein to Strand Muslim Community Square. The comment period commenced on Thursday 1 August and closes at month’s end, Saturday 31 August.
This follows an application for the name change submitted earlier this year.
According to Alderman Eddie Andrews, the Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee member for spatial planning and the environment, the application was submitted by a duo, Firgrove historian Ebrahim Rhoda and Feisal Daniels, aided by Professor Doria Daniels, on behalf of the Muslim community.
‘The community felt that, in the spirit of reconciliation, the square should have a name that honours the Muslim community that was forcibly removed from the area,’ said Andrews. ‘The three mosques that still anchor the square today bear testimony to the community’s existence.
‘The proposal to rename Ben Friedman Plein to Strand Muslim Square was submitted in January 2024. Following processing and internal processes, the next step was the public participation process, which commenced on Thursday 1 August and will conclude on Saturday 31 August.’
Asked about the process, Andrews said residents had been asked to submit a renaming or naming proposal to the Executive Mayor or Public Participation Unit (PPU).
The PPU processes these submissions and the Naming Committee (NC) reviews them. If the NC supports a submission it recommends conducting a public-participation process.
Once approved, the PPU organises the public participation, where an in-person engagement is chaired by the committee chairperson or their nominee. The unit then compiles a record of public comments and submits a post-public participation report to the NC. The committee then reviews the comments and makes recommendations to the executive mayor.
If the executive mayor approves and supports these recommendations the Council adopts the renaming or naming proposal.
Asked about the implementation of the name change and its cost implications should the proposal succeed, Andrews stated these details could not be determined at this stage of the process.
According to the applicants the plea to the City to rename the square was in the spirit of reconciliation, honouring the Muslim community’s heritage.
They said the Strand Muslim community celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2022, yet despite their historical presence in the town’s CBD there are no plaques or signs commemorating their legacy.
They held their Market Day at Ben Friedman Square, where three community mosques, Nurul Anwar, Market Street and Nurul Islam remain as an active reminder of the ‘once vibrant’ Muslim community that lived there before they were forcibly removed following the enactment of the Group Areas Act back in the 1950s.
The applicants noted the absence of visible signs of the community’s history during the event, regarding it ironic given the historical evidence, including Rhoda’s thesis and historian Peggy Heap’s claims, which supports that Malay fishermen were among the first settlers in Mostert Bay (now Strand).
The first place of worship, the Market Street Mosque, was built on Ben Friedman Plein.
‘We present our renaming proposal as a reconciliatory opportunity for the City to make amends to a black community that had been forcibly removed from the town centre and whose heritage was erased,’ they said in a written response to an enquiry. ‘The renaming will be a reconciliatory gesture to the once-vibrant Muslim community that lived around the square and an acknowledgement of their contributions to the establishment of the Strand. The renaming of the square will be welcomed as restorative justice for their marginalisation.’
The applicants further shared meeting with Barry Friedman, grandson of the late Ben Friedman (after whom the square is currently named) who, after consulting his family, supported the renaming initiative. Another meeting with Muslim community stakeholders followed and resulted in the proposal being endorsed by the Strand Muslim Council and the Nurul Islam and Aneeqah Congregation. Additional support was gained from the Rusthof Methodist church and Muslim Judicial Council. The stakeholders nominated the applicants to advance the process, deciding on the new proposed name Strand Muslim Community Square. The proposal was initially submitted to the City for consideration in February last year.
‘The town has a rich history, which should be celebrated,’ they stated in written response to an enquiry. ‘Prior to the black families’ forced removals from the CBD, the broader Strand community was reflective of a diverse religious, ethnic and cultural population. The naming of squares, parks, buildings and schools in the Strand do, however not celebrate all of the town’s forefathers and mothers. That should be addressed.
‘Our proposal is the first step towards celebrating the diversity of people who lived in the CBD and their contributions to the town’s development. We believe the renaming of the square is the first step towards restoring a sense of ownership and belonging to this once vibrant community. On another level we see the renaming as a spiritual homecoming of the Strand’s Muslim community and as acknowledgement of our, and our ancestors’ contributions to this town’s history.
‘We acknowledge the harmonious relationship that existed between the Strand’s Muslim community and the Friedman family, which spanned more than 100 years. In our discussion with Mr Friedman, and in our recommendation to the committee we stated that we would support the renaming of the traffic circle closest to the Friedman and Cohen store as Ben Friedman Circle.’
Friedman expressed his support for the proposed renaming, particularly in light of the local Muslim community’s 200th anniversary. He noted that there is currently nothing in the community to indicate their long-standing presence.
When Rhoda, a long-time acquaintance, approached him with the proposal, it brought back fond memories of his walks through the community from school to his family’s shop as a scholar and cherished interactions with members.
‘As a family, my brother, sister and I are in favour of the proposed renaming and think it the right thing to do, as long as we do not lose our heritage,’ he said.
DistrictMail and Helderberg Gazette surveyed business owners whose premises border the square located behind Shoprite, seeking their thoughts on the proposed renaming.
Noleen Solomons of Nolaz Design initially admitted to not knowing about the proposed renaming of the square in honour of a significant part of the community’s legacy. However, she expressed no objections to the proposal, viewing it as a way forward in these times. ‘It makes sense, as the square is anchored by three mosques,’ added Solomons, who has manufactured and supplied curtains and blinds for nearly two decades.
Ernest Swarts, of Endow Shoe and Bag Repairs and Key Cutting, said he had ‘no problem’ with the proposed renaming. He noted Council-maintained facilities, including public spaces and streets, were frequently renamed.
Vehicle Sales owner Dirk Coetzee, Swarts’ business neighbour who co-manages the property housing their businesses shared the sentiment. ‘As long as business is not adversely affected, which I am certain it won’t be, I don’t mind,’ he said.
- This article was first published in the DistrictMail and Helderberg Gazette and is reprinted with permission.
