This book is one of the products of the Alexandra Tourism Development Project and was partially funded by the Alexandra Renewal Project and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The research thereof was undertaken by a team comprising local residents and researchers from the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand. They have done a noble task in capturing the very colourful history of Alexandra. Posterity will be the richer for it.

Through the passage of time Alexandra has earned itself many names, which have reflected both its vibrancy and the hardships experienced by its people. Some people know it as ‘Dark City’ because for many years it had no electricity and water reticulation; others have called it ‘Ga-mampyana’ (Place of mother of puppies), which not many people can explain but it has been speculated that there were many stray dogs roaming the streets of the township; and finally, a few people have called the place ‘Varkieslaagte’ (because of the proximity of a pig farm in the early years). Alexandra is renowned for the prolonged depressed social conditions that have afflicted its people and have been responsible for the undesirable crime rate, notorious gangs and gangsters, as well as ethnic clashes.

Yet it was not all dark and gloom. Life in Alexandra was vibrant. The township produced Marabi music and was home to music legends such as Ntemi Piliso and Zakes Nkosi. Sports have always been a favourite pastime: Peter Mogoai, Eddie Magerman (tennis), the Hlubi brothers (boxing), Gibson Malantelele, Michael Mokgatle and Saul Buramsotho Nkutha (soccer) are among the many outstanding stars that hail from the area.

Despite neglect from the government, the people of Alexandra strove to educate themselves. Reverend Paul Mabiletsa was an education pioneer who founded a number of schools in the area, while Elijah Noge and Obed Phahle were respected school principals. The township was famous for its spirit of entrepreneurship, as was reflected in the presence among its ranks of one the country's first successful black bus owners, Richard Granville Baloyi, and land baron, Moropa Mbanjwa.