ALEXANDRA, a backstory

109pp., illus., maps, paperback, Jacana, Johannesburg, 2024

ISBN: 9781431435319

Foreword by Noor Nieftagodien

A history of Alexandra township outside Johannesburg written and illustrated by Solam Mkhabela from the Wits University School of Architecture and Planning. 

"Solam Mkhabela is an urban analyst and activist whose thinking, writing and image-making are directly relevant to the fields of urban design and planning. In this ground-breaking publication, accessible to many, he has successfully moulded his doctoral research project into a multi-media critique of academic and professional forms of 'knowledge work' concerning realities of rapid urban change in sub-Saharan Africa. Most importantly - through his own pathway of reflective practice-based research, backup up by extensive reading of critical cultural texts - he foregrounds his Nguni social roots of story-telling as a medium for challenging embedded imaginaries of 'what should be' which negate any deeper understanding of 'what is' African  urbanity." Paul Jenkins, Emeritus Professor of Architecture Research, University of Edinburgh

"This multi-lensed architectural history condenses and expands the stories of Alexandra, crafting exquisite visual narratives from intimate close-ups to sweeping urban landscapes. The word pictures blend archival material, personal testimony and masterful rendering to unravel complex, politically engineered histories while amplifying voices once kept in the background. A Backstory offers a profound, accessible reflection on Johannesburg's turbulent past. I lingered over every frame." Tanya Zack, urban planner and author of Wake Up! This Is Joburg

Solam Mkhabela holds a PhD from the Wits University School of Architecture and Planning, where he currently convenes the Master of Urban Design programme. He lives in Johannesburg.