More name changes on cards
2005-08-08 15:51
Nelspruit - The public has one last chance to comment on changing 40 place names in Mpumalanga.
MEC for culture, sport and recreation, Nomsa Mtsweni, will announce the proposed name changes on Wednesday and give the public time to comment, said John Skhosana, chairperson of the provincial geographical names change committee.
Skhosana said the committee had rejected proposed names of living people unless under extreme circumstances.
"Names of living people will not be excepted unless they are South African icons," said Skhosana.
After the provincial geographical names change committee has approved the proposed names, they will be sent to the minister of culture, sport and recreation, Pallo Jordan, for approval.
Declined
Skhosana declined to comment whether a new name has been proposed for the capital city of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit.
"We will have to wait for the MEC to make the announcement," he said.
Skhosana said name changes would benefit tourism.
"Historical names are a brand you can sell to the world," he said.
He said the research that had gone into identifying new names could also be used globally.
"This research will help us to tell our story to the world," he said.