Red Square (Durban)

Red Square in Durban is a "landmark" of the struggle

Red Square was a "landmark" of the struggle against apartheid in Durban, South Africa.^[1] This public space, known as "Red Square" because of the "Rooi gevaar", is now occupied by a five-story parking garage. Red Square was located at the intersection of Monty Naicker, Dr A B Xuma and Yusuf Dadoo streets (Map).^[2]

Significance

The square was a gathering point for Natal Indian Congress (NIC), African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP) public meetings in the late 1940s and 1950s. Notable protest movements originated from the "Red Square", including the Passive Resistance Campaign,^[3] which was followed by the Defiance Campaign.

NIC members protested at mass rallies and land occupations (at great personal cost). Their actions would expose the duplicitous behaviour of Jan Smuts and the state ^[4] Thuggery, intimidation and violence by locals would follow. The 1973 Durban strikes also originated from Red Square, as workers consulted union leaders based at Lakhani Chambers.^[5] These strikes would be the first time that workers from the packaging, transport, ship repairs, textile and clothing sector sectors had made their demands heard, since Sharpville Massacre. These strikes would later be seen as the beginning of the black trade union movement,^[6] and an upsurge in new forms of activism^[7]

Today, a five-story parking garage covers the remains of the public space which was used for gatherings, rallies and speeches. ^[8]

References

^ Pahlen, B; Stiebel, L (2017). "Revisiting Grey Street: The Grey Street Writers Trail in the Context of Urban Regeneration". Alternation Journal. 24 (1): 197–232. doi:10.29086/2519-5476/2017/v24n1a10.
^ Jazbhay, Saber "JAZZY". "Remembering Christmas during the apartheid era". News24. Retrieved 2025-09-23.
^ "South Africa: Overcoming Apartheid". overcomingapartheid.msu.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-23.
^ Vahed, G (May 2009). "Monty … Meets Gandhi … Meets Mandela: The Dilemma of Non-Violent Resisters in South Africa, 1940-1960". Historia. 54 (1): 34–50.
^ Kotze, S., & Zuma, B. (2017). Navigating Freedom: Social Cohesion Policies and the Democratic Cultural landscape of Durban’s Liberation Heritage Route. Museum International, 69(1–2), 98–113. https://doi.org/10.1111/muse.12154
^ Du Toit, D (2010). The Durban strikes (1st ed.). Capital and Labour in South Africa. pp. 1–495.
^ ROAPE (2023-03-06). "Southern Africa's workers movement on fire – the South African & Namibian strikes". ROAPE. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
^ wgadmin (2006-02-25). "Grey Street Writers Trail". Literary Tourism. Retrieved 2025-09-30.