Name change of well-known square in South Africa raises concerns

The proposed renaming of Ben Friedman Square in Strand to the Strand Muslim Community Square has raised concerns.

Ben Friedman Square is a prominent civic square in Strand, Western Cape, with historical significance.

The square was named in honour of Ben Friedman, an immigrant from Lithuania who arrived in Cape Town in 1903.

After starting as a door-to-door trader, he co-founded the department store Friedman & Cohen in Strand.

Friedman & Cohen has become an institution in the town, stocking a wide range of products and serving the wider Helderberg region.

Beyond his business, Friedman contributed to the local community’s development and was instrumental in establishing the Strand Synagogue in 1930.

The square sits within an area that served as the heart of Strand’s Muslim community for over two centuries, dating back to the 1820s.

Three historic mosques anchor the surrounding area: the Market Street Mosque, the Nurul Islam Mosque, and the Nurul Anwar Mosque.

In recent years, a formal proposal was submitted to the City of Cape Town to rename the site to Strand Muslim Square.

This, the proponents of the name change said, was a gesture of restorative justice and historical recognition.

However, not everyone is happy with it. During the public participation process, 74 residents attended the meeting and 54 lodged objections against the proposal.

The Freedom Front Plus said that in the eyes of the local community, Ben Friedman is a pioneer, and his name should remain.

“Using taxpayer money for symbolic name changes, particularly when local communities oppose them, is irresponsible,” the party said.

It asked the City of Cape Town to consider residents’ input, while also focusing more on the pressing service delivery issues affecting all Cape Town residents.