Pretoria is Pretoria - Jordan
2007-05-08 21:07
Johannesburg - The name of the capital is Pretoria - that's what civil-rights group AfriForum says Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan assured it on Tuesday.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said his group met Jordan in Pretoria to discuss the controversial attempts to change the city's name to Tshwane.
"The name of the capital of South Africa is Pretoria and Potchefstroom's name is Potchefstroom," Kriel said Jordan told AfriForum.
Jordan was not immediately available for comment.
Kriel said Jordan told AfriForum and Action Potchefstroom representatives he would not make a decision on a name change for Pretoria while emotions were running high on the issue.
Will approach SABC TV News
Kriel said Jordan undertook to ask Tshwane metro mayor Gwen Ramokgopa to meet AfriForum on the name issue, "in response to AfriForum's objection about the fact that the mayor thus far has ignored all requests for such a discussion".
He also told AfriForum he would reopen nominations for the board of a new SA Geographical Names Council after complaints it made subjective decisions and recommendations on place-name changes.
"The fact that Jordan... is now on record as having confirmed that the name of the capital officially is Pretoria and that no changes have been made in this regard, will also help AfriForum in efforts to enter into discussions with SABC TV News with regard to its use of the name Tshwane in news bulletins," said Kriel.
- SAPA