For decades, their history lived only in memory. Now, the Muslim community of Strand is pushing to have it written back into the landscape, describing the proposed renaming of Ben Friedman Square to Strand Muslim Community Square as an act of long-overdue justice and a chance to reclaim their place as some of the town’s earliest settlers.
Located about 40 minutes from Cape Town, Strand sits at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, between Macassar and Gordon’s Bay. It is here that the Muslim community has spent the past four years lobbying for the name change, a process they say is about far more than symbolism.
The application was submitted to the City of Cape Town by historian Ebrahim Rhoda and Feisal Daniels, with the assistance of Prof Doria Daniels, on behalf of the community.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Daniels said the legacy of the Group Areas Act in the 1960s went far beyond the loss of land. “It did not just dispossess our parents and forefathers of their properties, it robbed us of our history and our ancestral foundation,” she said.
“When people are forcibly removed and relocated, they become disconnected from their roots. For us, this name change is about restoring that history.”
She said renaming the square would bring long-overdue visibility to a once-thriving community that was uprooted in the mid-1960s.
We were erased from the town’s history, despite our contributions. This is about recognition, about remembering who we were before everything was taken
— Prof Doria Daniels
“When you walk around Strand, there is no building, no school, no landmark named after people like us. We were erased from the town’s history, despite our contributions. This is about recognition, about remembering who we were before everything was taken.”
The square itself holds deep historical significance. Daniels said the area was once home to a vibrant Muslim community and remains anchored by three of its oldest mosques, including the Jaavia Mosque, which has recently been granted heritage status as one of the oldest in the Western Cape.
“There is clear justification for the community to lay claim to this space, it is part of our heritage,” she said.
Central to the story is a century-old relationship between the Muslim community and the Friedman family, after whom the square is currently named. The family has publicly supported the renaming.
Rhoda said the relationship spans generations, with his grandfather having worked as an agent for the Friedman family.
“This is a relationship that goes back more than a hundred years. The Friedman family employed members of the Muslim community and rented properties to Muslim fishermen. On difficult days, people were allowed to pay what they could afford,” he said.
He added that the proposal emerged from this history of mutual respect. “Because of that relationship, it was not difficult to approach Ben Friedman’s grandson, Barry. We met, shared our proposal and, after consulting his family, he came back with a positive response.”
We have always had a warm relationship with the Muslim community. They lived in the area until they were forcibly removed, and there is not a single sign recognising their contribution
— Ben Friedman’s grandson, Barry
Barry Friedman said his grandfather, who arrived in Strand from Lithuania in 1899, built a retail business and owned property in the area, contributions that led to the square being named after him. However, he said the family supported the renaming from the outset.
“We have always had a warm relationship with the Muslim community. They lived in the area until they were forcibly removed, and there is not a single sign recognising their contribution,” he said.
He added that the family’s only request was that Ben Friedman’s legacy should not disappear entirely. The Muslim community has since proposed that a nearby traffic circle be named Ben Friedman Circle, ensuring both histories are acknowledged.
The city confirmed that the proposal is currently under consideration by its naming committee, alongside other renaming initiatives. Officials say the Strand proposal stands out for its cooperative nature, with backing from the community, civic bodies and the Friedman family.
For Prof Daniels, the process has been long and, at times, frustrating.
“We have worked tirelessly over the past four years, following up constantly to ensure the application is taken seriously,” she said.
Framed as an act of recognition rather than erasure, the proposed renaming reflects a broader effort to restore visibility to communities whose histories were deliberately marginalised, and to ensure that the stories of places like Strand are finally told in full.
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