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New names have town in a tizz
20/01/2005 11:00 - (SA)
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| The dam in Nylstroom with the town's "old" coat of arms on the wall. (Leon Murdoch, Beeld) |
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Retha Fourie , Beeld
Modimolle (Nylstroom) - When residents of this Limpopo town returned from holiday, the found the names of some streets and buildings had been changed while they were away.
The town hall has been renamed the O R Tambo Memorial Hall, the library is now known as the Ruth First Memorial Library and Auditorium and the municipal building in Field Street is now the O R Tambo Building.
Changed street names include Church Street, which will in future be known as Chief Albert Luthuli Street, Tamsen Street was changed to Chris Hani Street, Collins Street became Elias Motsoaledi Street and Paul Kruger Street will be known as Ahmed Kathadra Street.
The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) strongly criticised this decision.
Dr Willie Snyman, FF+ chairperson in Limpopo, said the sudden name change took place "despite overwhelming public opposition".
The municipality apparently asked in August for suggestions on names to reach it by the end of December.
Residents apparently believed the new names were only relevant to new developments.
Snyman said the latest step, which followed after the names of several towns in the province had been changed over the past four years, was part of a never-ending assault on traditional and historic, largely Afrikaans, place names.
Johan Willemse, deputy chairperson of the province's arts and culture council, describe the latest name change as "cultural theft".
Willemse said although government had the power to "change names as it wished", Afrikaners were being alienated from government in the process and "the result cannot be predicted".
Advocate Tommy Ntsewa, chairperson of the national and provincial place name committee, said on Wednesday municipalities had the right to decide on name changes.
Tsietsi Mohapi, mayor of the town, was not available for comment.
Send e-mail to mfourie2@beeld.com
- Beeld
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