William Nicol

(WikiMedia Commons)

William Nicol: Six essential things to know about the historical figure

With the major road in Johannesburg named after William Nicol set to be renamed, we look at how it got there in the first place.

William Nicol

(WikiMedia Commons)

You’ve probably driven down a road named him, or encountered his moniker during history lessons. But William Nicol is back in the headlines – 51 years after his death – following the news that the R511 in Johannesburg is set to replace his name with that of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s.

The city council have proposed William Nicol Drive, which connects the north of Johannesburg to the CBD, should be renamed after the late struggle stalwart. Naturally, opponents of the name change are crying foul, suggesting that this is an erasure of history. But what history would that be?

Who is William Nicol – The essential facts:

Early life

He was born in Robertson, Western Cape (known as Cape Colony at the time under British rule) and was brought up in a strongly religious family.

He would go on to assume a role as minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in Johannesburg, and he even became the founder of Johannesburg East’s parish magazine Irenenuus in January 1923.


Nicol graduated from three universities, after studying at Stellenbosch, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and the prestigious school of Princeton in the US. His education helped him form the basis of what he wanted to achieve in advancing the cause of the Afrikaner people.

He opposed Bantu Education

The minister was a strong opponent of apartheid’s efforts to limit educational opportunities for citizens of colour. He was a staunch believer of teaching all South Africans in their mother tongue, with English being treated as a second language so everyone could communicate.

Helped translate the Bible into IsiZulu

One of his most famous achievements was working to make Christian teachings available in different South African languages. He had the most success with the Zulu version of the holy book, where his passion for preserving the linguistic rights of learners was put to effective use.

Time in office

He was the chairperson for the Afrikaner Broederband, a male-only organisation that sought to preserve their heritage. Nicol became the governor of Transvaal in 1948, serving 10 years in the position.

Why the road was named William Nicol Drive

Long story short, the road was established during Nicol’s time as the Transvaal governer. As he was overseeing much of the development, he named the stretch after himself. Always good to have power, isn’t it?