Mpuma submits name changes

2002-10-07 22:12

Nelspruit - Mpumalanga has submitted the names of nine villages and rivers to the South African Geographical Names Council for possible renaming.

The names are considered colonial or derogatory and are the first of some 2 300 names that the province wants to change, said sports, recreation, arts and culture spokesperson Sammy Mpatlanyane on Monday.

"The province has gone through the required processes and the council will conduct its own research and gazette the new names if they're approved," Mpatlanyane said.

Some of the names will be changed because they were misspelt or because they were historically irrelevant to local people, or were in a language not spoken by local people.

Village names that have been submitted for possible change are Boschfontein, which may be renamed Mbambiso, Jeppes Reef, which may be renamed Embhojeni, Jeppes Rust, which may be renamed Magogeni, Buffelspruit, which may be renamed Mhlambanyatsi, KwaMaketane, which may be renamed Endlovini, Schulzendal, which may be renamed Hlengesha, Skilpadfontein, which may be renamed Marapyane, Goedvoorales, which may be renamed Seabe and Rooifontein, which may be renamed Nokaneng.

Targeted rivers are Treur River, which may be renamed Sefogane, Ntulane River, which may be renamed Mtilane, Slabhojet River, which may be renamed Mhlambanyatsi, and Blyde River, which may be renamed Motlatse. Other areas already listed for definite changes but not sumitted to the council include Kaffirskraal, Daggafontein, Vaalgatfontein, Mapogsgrot, Sudwala Caves and Vlaklaagte.

Sudwala caves, which are the oldest dolomite caves in the world and a major international tourist attraction, could probably be renamed Madwala Caves after the Swazi King who used them as a retreat in time of danger.

Purists are, however, lobbying for the caves may be renamed Umgodzi wenkosi uMadwala (King Madwala's Cave).

The Mapogsgrot Caves, which were used by the Ndebele nation as a hideout in 1881 when the large Boer army laid siege on them, will also probably be renamed iRholo leKhosi Nyabela.

The caves remain a potent symbol of Ndebele resistance to Boer colonialism, Masango said.

Mpumalanga began the process about 16 months ago, well before the widely publicised campaign that saw Northern Province change its name to Limpopo early this year. - African Eye News Service

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