Rhodes residences renamed in honour of struggle icons

To honour the legacy of three prominent struggle heroes – Charlotte Maxeke, Enoch Sontonga and Robert Sobukwe – Rhodes University yesterday renamed three residences after these late icons.

James House was renamed the Mmakgamo Charlotte Maxeke House, Piet Retief became Mankayi Enoch Sontonga, while Jan Smuts House will now be known as the Robert Sobukwe House.

Maxeke was a South African religious leader, social worker and political activist. She was one of the first black women graduates in South Africa and one of the first black South Africans to fight for freedom from exploitative and social conditions of African women.

Sontonga wrote and composed the South African national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika in 1897, a prayer for God’s blessing on the African land and its people.

Sobukwe, founder of the Pan African Congress, became known as the Professor or simply “Prof” to his close comrades and followers, a testament to his educational achievements and powers of speech and persuasion.

An event to mark the renaming was held yesterday afternoon, where the families of these celebrated icons were invited to attend.

According to the university the renaming of these houses was a continuation of the transformation agenda at the university.

In 2015 the university renamed one of its campuses after the late struggle activist couple, Albertina and Walter Sisulu.

Recently, there were calls made to rename the university. However, that process was put on hold when the university council decided that it was not a “prudent” time for renaming the university.

Over the past few years, there have been 20 name changes within the university.

Buildings, facilities, academic units and structures named after liberation icons include Ellen Nnoseng Kuzwayo, Walter Sisulu, Rosa Parks, Ruth First, Joe Slovo, Victoria Nonyamezelo Mxenge, Adelaide Tambo, Helen Joseph, Robert Mmangaliso Sobukwe, Chris Thembisile Hani, Miriam Zenzile Makeba, Lillian Masediba Ngoyi, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Desmond Mpilo Tutu and Steve Bantubonke Biko.

In a statement released yesterday ahead of the renaming ceremony the university vice-chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, said: “The premise of this work is compatible with the university’s transformation project and the values of human dignity, non-racialism and non-sexism enshrined in the South African Constitution.

“These name changes are collective small steps to promote the redress of past imbalances and a celebration of the cultural identity and geographical location of the university.”

The University of Cape Town earlier this week celebrated the life of another icon, Chris Hani, by naming its science lecture theatre after him.

The renaming was a celebration of Hani’s life marking the 25th anniversary of his assassination.