Cape Town: Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews joined the residents of Mitchells Plain, while proudly honouring Dr. Athol Williams with a striking mural on Eisleben Road, as they celebrated his remarkable contributions to education, justice and community upliftment.
Created by Rizah Potgieter and supported by local sponsors, it is the first mural in the area to honour a living community member.
Dr. Williams who grew up in Mitchells Plain, co-founded Read to Rise and launched the Cape Flats Book Festival to make reading accessible to all. His academic achievements include a doctorate from Oxford and five master’s degrees from top global universities.
Labelled as an ‘Education Champion’ and ‘South African Hero’, the mural also honoured his bravery in exposing corruption, this led to an international recognition and local awards. Despite global success, as Dr. Williams remains deeply connected to his roots. The mural stands as a tribute and as an invitation to the community that strives for excellence, live with compassion and make life count.
Considering this, Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews said at the unveiling that in the heart of Mitchells Plain, a community that has weathered any storms, yet still dreams, still fights and still dares to believe in a better tomorrow, a young boy named Athol Williams dared to dream bigger than his circumstances and with the mural they are not just honouring that man.
They are making a bold statement about who they are and more importantly, about whom they can be. In a world where too often the loudest stories are those of despair such as stories of gangsterism, drugs and broken dreams, they offer a different narrative.
According to Andrews they carve into the heart of Mitchells Plain a story of hope, resilience, excellence and of compassion. In a time when the communities are crying out for role models and real heroes, they honour Dr. Williams as that kind of hero.
His journey from the streets of Mitchells Plain to the halls of Oxford, Harvard, MIT and beyond is a roadmap and a living testimony to the power of education and service and of a heart that is determined to make a difference.