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The city of Johannesburg has initiated a public participation process to change the name of William Nicol Drive in honor of fighting veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The city’s mayor, Geoff Makhubo, said that a city council meeting had agreed to the name change more than a year ago, and that the road would be renamed “in time” following the public participation process and confirmation. with the Madikizela-Mandela family.
William Nicol Drive is named after the Dutch Reformed minister and administrator of the Transvaal at the time of its construction. Makhubo made the announcement on what would have been Madikizela-Mandela’s 84th birthday.
To honor mom #WinnieMandela, As the @CityJoburgZA we have officially launched the start of the public participation process to change the name from William Nicol to Winnie Madikizela Mandela pic.twitter.com/ebg8FL5m4j
– Geoff Makhubo (@GeoffMakhubo) September 26, 2020
More name changes are coming
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government plans to rename more towns and cities as it works to ‘transform the heritage landscape’ of the country.
In a Heritage Day speech on Thursday (September 24), the president said that building a united nation means that the country must continually be aware of and control its own acts of racism and prejudice.
“The naming and renaming of towns and cities is part of this, as well as the construction of new statues and monuments. Monuments that glorify our divisive past must be repositioned and relocated, ”he said.
“This has generated controversy, and some say that we are trying to erase our history.” The president said that any symbol, monument or activity that glorifies racism, that represents the country’s ugly past, has no place in democratic South Africa.
The main objective of the fight against apartheid was to guarantee that all our people regain their dignity, in black and white. Restoring your dignity is the concern of this administration.
“In the wake of Covid-19, and in the future, it will continue to be our main concern.”
The Eastern Cape government is currently considering an official name change for various towns in the province as part of a program designed to transform the country’s geographic landscape so that it is more representative of its people.
The main metropolitan area of East London has been identified as one of the cities that could see a change, with KuGompo provided as an alternate name.
Other proposed changes include:
- King William’s Town was renamed Once;
- Berlin renamed to There is no resurrection;
- East London Airport was renamed King Phalo Airport.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says his department is also considering a report on renaming the country’s airports.
Mbalula said the report includes the outcome of public presentations regarding the renaming of Cape Town International Airport.
He said the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has also embarked on a project to rename East London Airport, Port Elizabeth International Airport and Kimberley Airport.
Read: South African Union asks Eskom board to resign due to investigation
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