The names they are a'changing

2003-11-21 21:39

Retha Fourie

Polokwane - The question on everyone's lips is whether or not the era of tradition-based institutions such as Pietersburg High School, Nylstroom High, Louis Trichardt High and even the Pietersburg Club, is coming to an end.

This comes after the geographic names committee in Limpopo asked mayors in the province to send suggestions regarding name changes.

Mayors in towns that have undergone name changes in the past two years have been asked to change names of places such as post offices, airports and hospitals so they conform to the towns' new names.

Tommy Ntsewa, chairperson of the provincial names committee as well as the national names council, told Beeld on Friday that he had sent out a letter to the mayors at the end of last month and asked for their replies before November 30.

Schools also could be affected

Towns that were sent the letter include Bela-Bela (Warmbaths), Modimolle (Nylstroom), Mookgopong (Naboomspruit), Mokopane (Potgietersrus), Mokopane (Potgietersrus), Lephalale (Ellisras) and Makhado (Louis Trichardt), among others.

Ntsewa said it was not necessary for a drawn-out consultation process.

Bela-Bela municipality has already agreed to support Ntsewa's request.

Although schools were not specifically mentioned in Ntsewa's letter, he did say these institutions also could be affected.

School principals to whom Beeld spoke on Friday said any name-change decision lay with the parents governing body.

Freddy Greaver of the education department said department heads had not yet been informed of any request to change school names.

Both the Freedom Front+ and the Democratic Alliance rejected Ntsewa's request.

- Beeld