'Native units' must go

2003-11-03 08:42

East London - Buffalo City Municipality is set to change racially offensive names of zones in its massive Mdantsane township.

The sections of Mdantsane are currently numbered from NU1 to NU17.

"The term NU 1 to NU 17 stands for native unit and is offensive. We cannot tolerate it and the change must be part of the change in mindsets and our feel for Mdantsane," said mayor Sindisile Maclean at the unveiling of the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme.

Maclean has ordered that the process be researched and the offensive designations be dropped.

In a statement the municipality said the mayor's office has already interacted with the provincial geographic names committee and Department of Sports, Art and Culture director Similo Grootboom about the procedure for the process.

Other Eastern Cape townships such as Motherwell in Port Elizabeth also use the NU designation.

Townships in the Western Cape have the NY designation which means "native yard".

Mayoral advisor Matthew Moonieya said Buffalo City had been told that the name change was within the municipality's jurisdiction and that application had to be made to the national geographic name change committee following a period of consultation with the people.

"The mayor has taken a political decision together with his designated political champion councillor Sizwe Dikimolo that he would like this to happen as soon as possible and it will now be championed by city manager Mxolisi Tsika," Moonieya said.

Grootboom confirmed that his department was excited about the change, while the Secretary for the Ex-Political Prisoners' Association Monde Mkunqwana said the word NU had always bothered him.

"I have long grappled with the derivation of the name Mdantsane and have come to the conclusion that it must be based on mythology, folklore and bastardisation of languages," he said. "But the NU definitely stands for native unit and we will welcome the change."

He said Mda meant "boundary" and the suffix had been "ntsana", which meant sibling or baby.

- SAPA