A proposal to rename a major street in Johannesburg’s financial district after Leila Khaled, a Palestinian militant involved in two plane hijackings in 1969 and 1970, has sparked controversy and criticism from several political parties and the city’s Jewish community.
The Johannesburg city council is considering changing the name of Sandton Drive to honor Khaled, now 80, who gained notoriety as the first woman to hijack a plane. Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), participated in the hijacking of a Trans World Airlines flight in 1969 and attempted to hijack an Israeli Airlines flight in 1970.
“This proposal is deliberately provocative and an affront to peace-loving South Africans,” said Rolene Marks, spokesperson for the South African Zionist Federation. The federation argues that renaming the street “after a failed terrorist with ties to a globally recognized terrorist organization” would sow division in South Africa.
The street renaming controversy dates back to 2018 when it was first proposed by Al Jama-ah, a pro-Palestinian minority party in the Johannesburg council. The African National Congress, South Africa’s largest political party, has supported the proposal.
Thapelo Ahmad, Johannesburg chairperson of Al Jama-ah and former mayor who originally proposed the name change, defended the decision: “While some argue that we should focus on South African heroes, we should not ignore international figures who have fought for justice and freedom.”
The proposal comes amid heightened tensions between South Africa and Israel, with South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza in a case before the United Nations’ top court.
Fana Mkhonza, a council member for the African Christian Democratic Party, opposes the change, stating that Khaled does not qualify for street renaming under the city’s policies. “Her fight has been for the Palestinian cause, not for the development of Johannesburg,” Mkhonza said.
The public has until mid-October to register objections to the proposed name change. As debate continues, the controversy highlights the complex intersection of local politics, international relations, and historical memory in South Africa.
