alexandra

Johannesburg's Sandton Square has been renamed the Nelson Mandela Square, and celebrated its 10th anniversary - and 10 years of democracy in South Africa - by unveiling the world's first public statue of the man who led the country across the apartheid divide.

A Norwegian journalist arrived in Johannesburg, was mugged, experienced the vibrancy and of the city - and fell in love with it. He is now preparing to trumpet the virtues of the City of Gold to his fellow Norwegians to encourage them to visit.

A Johannesburg law firm has partnered with a township car wash that doubles as an art gallery to sponsor a competition for young artists from Alexandra. There's been no shortage of entries - work by 35 finalists will be on exhibition in Melville and Illovo until 24 December.

Alexandra township in Johannesburg has been under threat of demolition many times in its 100-year-old history - particularly in the height of the apartheid period, when other "black spots" in the middle of white suburbs met their deaths beneath state bulldozers. Of these, Alex alone survived. Thanks to a friendship.