Name and shame

2008-11-20 08:45

Georgina Guedes

A few years ago, a friend of mine was trying to think of a name for a property development company. Given that the properties were going to be cozy residential spaces, I suggested "Envelopment".

The friend dutifully trotted off to the company registrar to apply for this lovely and original name (even if I do say so myself). The application was rejected because Envelopment was too similar, according to the registrar, to Development - a name that appears in a vast number of companies' names.

We were outraged. First of all, envelopment was close to development intentionally - it was a play on words - but not so close that someone looking for, for instance, the International Development Corporation, would be confused.

Secondly, the registrar's determination to protect the word "development" is a little misplaced, considering that it's a single word, and a noun - it's kind of like saying we couldn't call a shop a shop because too many other companies have the word shop in them.

For a few weeks, this was the subject of much dinner table conversation, despairing of the mindless bureaucracy that governed this process, but the situation was soon forgotten. It's been brought back to me recently by a new and far higher-profile drama.

What's in a name?

The ANC representatives who are complaining about Cope's right to use the name Congress of the People should shut up and back down. I understand that Congress of the People was a term used to describe the historic event in 1954 at which the Freedom Charter was adopted, but I don't think that there would be any confusion among South Africans as to which party was which.

The ANC would also do well to remember that Cope is a breakaway faction of ANC members, and since the Congress of the People is not a registered trademark (yet), they have as much right to the history of the party as those who are still in power.

It's a little ironic that an event at which the Freedom Charter was adopted is now the source of such a furore about a derivative party's freedom to use the name of a historic event that is clearly part of their history too.

The right to use words

The fact remains that "congress" and "people" are both words that are in common usage in the political arena. Getting het up about their use would be like The ANC having a go at the New National Party for their use of "National", and the PAC for their use of "African" and "Congress". And while they're at it, they should have a go at the Democratic Party for their use of the word "Party" and "Democratic" since both are cornerstones of the ANC's philosophy.

Or at least, democracy used to be. There is an increasing intolerance towards the basic tenets of democracy within the ranks of the ANC. The intimidation of another political party at its launch is not the action of a party that upholds this political philosophy.

The fact that the ANC is so afraid of this new party that its supporters are preventing people from attending Cope rallies around the country and that its leaders are rabble rousing about the use of the name shows that they perceive Cope to be a real threat.

Instead of welcoming the prospect of a realistic opposition - one that would hopefully make democracy make more sense in this country, and keep both parties honest - they are doing everything in their power to bog the fledgling party down in bureaucracy, rather than allowing it to focus on its message and assume its place on the political landscape.

In actual fact, what they are doing is preventing democracy from working, and making themselves look bad to any individual or party that upholds it.

The ANC has a proud tradition of fighting for and upholding political freedom in this country. If they truly want to pummel the new party at election time, they should focus on getting their own house in order and on making their own policies sound and democratic.

Georgina Guedes is a freelance journalist. She doesn't know who she'll be supporting in the next elections - the party that behaves itself has the best chance of winning her vote.

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