South Africa

South Africa

EFF: Now 40 Western Cape towns must fall

EFF: Now 40 Western Cape towns must fall

Hot on the heels of the successful #RhodesMustFall campaign, the Economic Freed Fighter’s Western Cape branch has a long list of towns in its sights which it says must be renamed. For black South Africans to have to live in places named to commemorate figures from colonialism and Apartheid, the Fighters say, is akin to a daily re-victimisation. Oh – and South Africa’s name must change too. By REBECCA DAVIS.

From Albertinia to Worcester: EFF Western Cape is calling for 40 towns in the province to be renamed to wipe out vestiges of colonial and Apartheid history.

We live in a country where we are constantly reminded of the abuse the majority of our people encountered,” EFF Western Cape chairman, Bernard Joseph, told journalists in Cape Town on Thursday.

Such reminders include town names “that alienate Africans from their motherland and confers the status of tenants on them while serving to allow whites to feel at home in their artificially-created ‘little Europe’”.

The party wants to see the naming of streets and towns changed to “culturally acceptable names that the black people of this country can identify with and [which] serve to restore their dignity”.

The 40 Western Cape towns have been singled out as having names that carry unacceptable associations. The Fighters distributed information sheets detailing the historical origins of these names. They include:

Athlone: Named after Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone, who served as Governor-General of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1930.

Durbanville: Named after Sir Benjamin d’Urban, Governor of the Cape Colony.

George: Named after King George III of England.

Gordon’s Bay: Named after Dutch explorer Robert Jacob Gordon.

Hermanus: Named after teacher Hermanus Pieters.

Moorreesburg: Named after NG Kerk minister Johannes Moorees.

Parow: Named after Prussian ship’s captain Johann Heinrich Parow.

Riebeeck Kasteel and Riebeeck West: Both named after Jan van Riebeeck; and

Simonstown and Stellenbosch: Both named after Cape governor Simon van der Stel.

Joseph conceded it was possible that many residents of these towns were unaware of the origins of the names, but dismissed this as irrelevant.

The only name on the list that does not have any link to a specific historic figure is that of Cape Town coastal suburb Camps Bay. The affluent neighbourhood makes the list on the basis of the fact that its first inhabitants were the San and the Goringqhaique, and the EFF believes it should have a name which reflects that.

Joseph said that the EFF was not suggesting any particular replacement names – with one exception. The party wants to see South Africa renamed ‘Azania’ – an ancient term for parts of Africa – as soon as possible.

As for the rest of the names, the party is about to embark on a three-month consultative process, visiting municipalities, listening to communities, and then approaching national departments to make a submission.

Their call comes in the same week that a court ruled that the City of Tshwane has to reinstate its old street names after removing them overly hastily. The uneasy compromise for the time being appears to be that street signs in the city will have to display both the old names and the new ones. Court proceedings on the matter to be heard next year should determine which ones get to stay.

Joseph indicated that the EFF was not keen to see a repeat of these events in the Western Cape. “We don’t want a situation where we will change names and the courts will intervene,” he said. For this reason, the party wants a thorough consultative process to take place.

Joseph hit out at the national ANC government for not having addressed the renaming of towns more thoroughly and speedily, but suggested darkly that this was because “Colonialisers are supporting our present government in many ways that we don’t want to mention”.

Approached for comment on the EFF’s campaign, a representative for the Western Cape government’s department of cultural affairs told the Daily Maverick: “The names that the EFF referred to fall outside of the jurisdiction of our geographical names committee. The process of renaming falls under the competencies of the local municipalities.”

Though the focus of the EFF’s campaign is on town names, statues and monuments remain on its hit list. The party also wants to see South African architecture adapt to reflect the realities of “an African country embedded in the history of the continental struggles”. They haven’t forgotten about Die Stem, either, which the Fighters are adamant must be dropped from the national anthem.

As forceful as the party may be about the necessity of name change, it remains to be seen whether the communities with whom they intend to consult share this passion.

When eNCA journalist Lester Kiewit canvassed the views of Athlone residents on Thursday about a potential name change, the suggestion was met with some scepticism.

Since I came to my senses it was Athlone and we are used to calling it Athlone,” one said. DM

Original Photo: Dutch Reformed Mother Church in George by E

Read more:

  • Tshwane to get old street names back, on IOL
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