SACP welcomes renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive

Thursday, 3 October 2024: The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the historic decision by the City of Johannesburg to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive. This long-overdue change follows a resolution passed in 2018 by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council, with strong majority support from its councillors. We commend the city for finally implementing this significant decision.

The SACP fully supports the transformation of South Africa's public spaces, particularly the renaming of streets, as part of our ongoing efforts to decolonise our architecture and historical narratives. Renaming streets to honour key figures in our shared struggles is not only a meaningful tribute to our history but also an enduring symbol of our commitment to a just, peaceful, equal, and prosperous society for future generations. Comrade Leila Khaled, a cherished ally of both the SACP and the people of South Africa, holds a special place in the global struggle against oppression. Her activism began during the 1948 Palestinian Nakba, when her family was forcibly displaced from Haifa to Lebanon. At just 15, she joined the Arab National Movement, advocating for Palestinian liberation. Throughout her life, she has been a resolute figure in the fight against Israeli occupation, both locally and internationally.

The timing of this renaming is particularly poignant as it highlights the ongoing plight of the Palestinian people. The world must not remain silent in the face of the atrocities committed by the apartheid Israeli regime, enabled by the US imperialism to carry out atrocities and genocide in Gaza with impunity. To date, over 51,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been massacred, with over 12 tonnes of explosives-the equivalent of a nuclear bomb-dropped on one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Two million Palestinians are trapped in Gaza, facing imminent death with no escape. Apartheid Israel's brutal campaign targets Palestinian civilians indiscriminately, showing no regard for the lives of children, women, men, and the elderly.

Leila Khaled's name stands alongside the heroines of our own anti-apartheid struggle, such as Ruth First, Winnie Mandela, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu, Lillian Ngoyi, Ida Fiyo Mntwana, and Gertrude Shope, to name but a few. The deep-rooted connection between South Africans and Palestinians in our shared fight against oppression morally obligates us to stand in solidarity with Palestinians against the Israeli apartheid regime. We call on all SACP members and supporters to express their support for this noble act of solidarity by writing to the City of Johannesburg. Emails of support can be sent to the email [email protected] before 15 October 2024.

Issued by the South African Communist Party,
Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.

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