Lenasia

Apartheid-era planners situated the group area for Johannesburg's Indians near the Lenz Military Base. It originates from 1958.[2] According to Parnell and Pirie the foundations for Lenasia were laid in 1963.[3] The name "Lenasia" is thought to be a combination of the words "Lenz" and "Asia". The Lenz in question was one Captain Lenz who owned the original plot on which Lenasia is situated. Many of its early residents were forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act from Pageview and the portion of Vrededorp populated by non whites (jointly known as Fietas) and Fordsburg, areas close to the Johannesburg city centre, to Lenasia. As segregation grew it became the largest place where people of Indian extraction could legally live in the Transvaal Province.

The township is large, and divided into extensions (Extensions 1-13) including a major suburb south of Lenasia, which is called Lenasia South and referred to as Daxina by the locals.[4]

A panoramic view of Lenasia as seen from the nearby N12 Freeway. On the left can be seen the town's most famous landmark – the Trade Route Mall (opened in April 2006) – whilst on the right is a townhouse complex (a common sight in contemporary Lenasia) called The Reeds. In the centre can be seen several of the residential areas of Lenasia with many minarets (representing the many mosques of the town) interspersed within it.

The younger generation tend to travel out of Lenasia to work for the big corporates. The growing population of Lenasia is a huge concern, as no additional land is being zoned for suburban development. Hence properties soar to exorbitant prices, making it more and more difficult for entry level income earners to afford to live there.

Many of the younger generation are now beginning to move out of the suburb because of increasing home prices, major traffic congestion en route to the city, as well as wanting to live in a more multicultural environment.

Although still a predominantly Indian area, Lenasia today is a more cosmopolitan and diverse suburb, providing a place to live for local coloured and African people, as well as recent immigrants and refugees.

Weather in Lenasia is typically 2-3 degrees cooler than central Johannesburg due to the town being situated within a valley.

It is located in Region G of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.

The community of Lenasia played a prominent role in opposing the national tricameral elections held in 1984 and 1989 under the apartheid era National Party government. This was an attempt to create separate legislative assemblies in South Africa for Whites, Indians and Coloureds in order to entrench racial segregation and perpetuate the disenfranchisement of the African majority in South Africa. Lenasia also played a role in the creation and activities of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the mass democratic movement that opposed apartheid in the 1980s and early 1990s before the unbanning of the African National Congress. Many of Lenasia's residents played a prominent role in the UDF structures and the broader anti-apartheid movement. Some of these activists became senior political figures after the first national democratic elections in 1994.

Crescent Hawks and Cavalier Cats cricket match - Lenasia Cricket Stadium in September 2011.

The GM LPL (Lenasia Premier League) is a prominent annual Twenty20-styled cricket tournament played during September. It commenced in 2010.

Shree Rameshwar Mahadev Mandir is situated in Lenasia. The Mandir was built by the community, for the Community in 1988. The main aim is to promote, support, and perpetuate the worship of Shree Rameshwar Mahadev, to celebrate religious festivals, holy days & charitable events, and the continuous worship & spiritual guidance from Shree Rameshwar Mahadev.[5]