Deepna Desai, Chris Ndlovu, Janky Matlala and Mandla Mnisi have penned a love letter to Alex, a township misunderstood.
Alexandra, South Africa (08 April 2025) – My journey into the heart of Alexandra Township — “Alex” — began with an unexpected key: Khulisa Social Solutions (“Khulisa”), a non-profit organisation with 28 years of experience in driving social transformation. Founded on the principle of “to nurture” in Zulu, Khulisa does far more than provide temporary relief – they build sustainable community solutions through innovative programs targeting critical social challenges. From restorative justice initiatives to youth development, trauma healing, and community leadership programs, the organisation operates at the intersection of compassionate intervention and systemic change.
True to its name, Khulisa offered me more than a volunteer opportunity. It was a portal into a world far richer than any headlines could capture, revealing how targeted, empathetic social work can unlock the profound potential within communities often overlooked and misunderstood.
Alex isn’t a place you simply observe – it’s a place that demands to be understood. Beyond the concrete narratives of struggle lies a landscape of human resilience, where every street corner tells a story of survival, creativity, and unbreakable spirit. This isn’t a tale of victimhood, but a chronicle of a community that turns constraints into fuel, transforming challenges into symphonies of collective strength.
A World Unseen
Stepping into Alex as an outsider, I expected the cautionary tales we’ve all been fed. Instead, I found something utterly disarming, kindness that catches you off guard, strangers who become storytellers, and children who greet you like family. Instead of fear, I found joy. Instead of silence, I heard a song.
On any ordinary Monday, Alex is far from ordinary. The streets hum with life — a toddler dancing to amapiano in the dust, women gathered around potjies, sharing laughter and stew, young men repairing a neighbour’s roof without being asked. This is a place where celebration is woven into the soul.
The magic lives in the smallest moments: Mogodu Mondays at River Park Café, where food becomes a ritual of connection; the performances of Makhwaya dancers raising funds with a pride that could shake mountains; the intricate networks of stokvels – financial cooperatives that are less about money and more about mutual survival and dignity.
Alex refuses to be simplified. Here, pain and beauty are not opponents, but dance partners — moving together in a complex choreography of human experience. It is precisely in this tension that the most extraordinary individuals are forged: builders of hope, architects of peace, champions of change who transform constraints into possibility.
The Icons of Alex
Alex has produced numerous remarkable individuals who have made significant impacts across various fields. While most people recognise high-profile names like Dr. Irvin Khoza, chairman of Orlando Pirates Football Club, and Jabulani “Jabu” Mahlangu, a well-known former professional footballer, the township’s influence extends far beyond sports and entertainment.
These well-known figures represent just a glimpse of the talent and potential that emerges from this community. Alex has consistently been a breeding ground for individuals who challenge limitations and create paths of success across multiple domains.
Chris Ndlovu: Thusong Youth Centre
At the Thusong Youth Centre, Chris Ndlovu is doing far more than educating children — he is re-parenting a community.
Chris, raised by a village after losing his mother, understands that a child’s future doesn’t begin in a classroom—it starts with love, safety, and possibility. His centre, which formerly served 15 children, now impacts the lives of 260 young people, providing food, mentorship, books, access to technology, and something money can’t buy: a belief in themselves.
He speaks softly, but his vision roars — a vision where every child in Alex can imagine a future more significant than their postcode.
Janky (Tata Matlala): Environmental Activist and Peace Architect
In 2021, Janky stood beside the polluted and neglected Jukskei River — a place others called cursed — and saw a sanctuary in waiting.
Where many saw filth, he saw healing. Where others feared danger, he imagined dancing. With grit and grace, he mobilised neighbours, councils, and his own two hands to clean, green, and reclaim this space. What was once a crime zone is now becoming a community park — a place of possibility, proof that beauty can bloom from brokenness.
Janky is more than an environmentalist. He is a peace architect, transforming public perception through walking tours, storytelling, and cultural celebration. His message is clear: Alex is not a problem to fix — it is a place to honour.
Mandla Mnisi: Eagles of Hope
Mandla Mnisi was born in Alex and raised in chaos. After losing two brothers to violence and being sentenced to 15 years in prison, his path seemed pre-written. But Mandla tore up the script.
He used those years behind bars to rebuild himself and his purpose. Upon release, rejected by his own family and haunted by pain, he chose life. He decided to heal. And from that choice, Eagles of Hope was born.
Mandla doesn’t offer pity; he offers power—assisting ex-offenders, survivors of abuse, and sex workers in discovering genuine freedom, not merely from their pasts but also within their own potential. His organisation serves as a lifeline for the forgotten, a sanctuary where no one is beyond redemption.
He reminds us that no matter how far one falls, there is always a way back — if someone is willing to hold out their hand.
Khulisa: The Soul of the Story
Khulisa is the critical infrastructure behind many of Alex’s transformative initiatives. Under Lesley Ann van Selm’s leadership, the organisation doesn’t just support change — it actively creates pathways for community development.
Through strategic partnerships, targeted dialogues, and a deep commitment to social cohesion, Khulisa has become more than an organisation. It’s a catalyst for genuine community transformation.
To the Reader: Come and See
To those who know Alex only through headlines — we invite you to take a second look. Stroll these streets. Feel the rhythm. Savour the kota. Hear the laughter. Observe the healing.
Alex is not a place to fear. It is a place to learn from—a place of music, memory, and magic.
This is Not Your Average Hood. This is Alex.
And it’s time the world saw it for what it truly is: A community of courage, creativity, and endless second chances.
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