The original Johannesburg SS Mendi memorial in Avalon Cemetery was opened in 1995 by HRH Queen Elizabeth II and President Nelson Mandela. The original memorial was the result of the effort of Mr MK Malefane who personally undertook its development. To mark the 2017 centenary of the tragic loss of the SS Mendi and to acknowledge the important role played by the South African Native Labour Contingent in the First World War, the City of Johannesburg, supported by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation undertook the expansion of the existing memorial. The new memorial was completed in July 2018.