However, the Committee was not allowed to collect local taxes, nor was the Johannesburg City Council willing to take responsibility for an area that it claimed fell outside its jurisdiction, leading to a lack of resources and proper management.

When the National Party came into power in 1948 and started to implement its policy of apartheid, Alexandra was put under the direct control of the then Department of Native Affairs.

[8] In the early 1960s, the government decided to demolish all family accommodation in Alexandra and replace them with single-sex hostels, which led to widespread resistance and protest.

[8] However, owing to the high costs, lack of alternative housing for the persons that would have to have been removed and the escalating opposition led by the Reverend Sam Buti's "Save Alexandra Party",[9] only two hostels were actually completed, and so the scheme was cancelled in 1979.

However, this plan led to considerable demolitions, disruptions and displacement in the community as well as two treason trials involving 13 leaders of Alexandra.

This, combined with the considerable number of additional people moving into Alexandra during this time, led to a new area called the "East Bank" being built.

Because of the insufficient capacity and difficult maintenance of the newly built infrastructure, the situation quickly deteriorated and thus the "Urban Renewal Plan" was shelved in 1990.

[11] In June/July 2008 the grassroots photographic project Shooting Jozi[12][13] inspired by the Academy award-winning documentary Born into Brothels took place in Alexandra with local community members.