Potch to be renamed

2006-07-19 17:10

Johannesburg - The Potchefstroom city council has decided to rename the city Tlokwe, the chief administrator in the mayor's office said on Wednesday.

"There was a special council meeting last night (on Tuesday) where this was decided.

"An application will now be made to the provincial geographical names council for consideration," said Errol Temane.

"The people who lived in the city before 1838 - which is when Andries Hendrik Potgieter came to the city - referred to the area as Tlokwe.

It was decided that name should be used again."

Temane said a motion was submitted in August 2004 for the renaming of street names and public facilities in Potchefstroom.

Specific streets were identified and the Andries Hendrik Potgieter Banquet Hall.

A public participation process followed where a majority of the city's people said the council should consider changing the name of the city, said Temane.

'People asked for it'

"This is how and when we decided to change the name of the city. The people asked for it, so we took it into consideration and last night decided that it will be changed.

He said the spirit in which the debate for the name change took place on Tuesday night was encouraging.

"The DA (Democratic Alliance) and the FF Plus (Freedom Front Plus) accepted there was a need for change.

"For example, the ANC (African National Congress) wanted the banquet hall to be renamed Peter Mokele, but the DA said they wanted it to be named Madiba Banquet Hall so the ANC accepted that."

The DA also submitted that Stasieweg Street, which was not among the street names listed to be changed, should be renamed Piet Bosman street.

"This submission was also accepted," said Temane.

Afrikaner history 'disregarded'

However, the FF Plus on Wednesday said the name change of the city disregarded the Afrikaner's history and its heritage.

"It is nothing other than a total disregard of the cultural historical heritage of the Afrikaner and the ANC is abusing its power to intimidate the Afrikaner," the party's provincial leader Pieter Groenewald said.

A petition opposing the proposed name change with more than 8 000 signatures was submitted to the city council.

However, it was merely "wiped off the table", said Groenewald.

He said the party's leader, Pieter Mulder, would approach the Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan to object to the proposed name change.

Constitution

"Name changes first have to be approved by the minister and the FF Plus will do everything in its power to prevent this name change.

"The constitution provides that the cultural historical heritage of all groups are acknowledged and the ANC of Potchefstroom is clearly ignoring this constitutional provision," Groenewald said.

However, Temane said it was important not to consider what was most important to one particular group or sector, but to consider what was best for the majority in the city.

"Besides, all that changed is the name. People will still drink the same water, they will still drive the same way to university and our festival, Aardklop, will still take place in the same place."

Temane added that the name change was important for transformation and change.

- SAPA