Name changes for 2 more towns in South Africa

[Nat Quinn]

The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has gazetted new name changes for South Africa, including two towns in the Eastern Cape.

The town of Fort Beaufort will now be called KwaMaqoma, while Somerset East will now be called KwaNojoli.

In addition to the name changes for the towns, the department is also changing the name of Brooksnek village in the province to Ben Mbizweni.

Names officially registered in terms of the South African Geographical Names Council Act.

The department has previously said that the transformation of the naming landscape in South Africa is ‘a critical component of the heritage landscape as a whole’.

Former Sport, Arts and Culture minister Nathi Mthethwa said that, despite the negative reaction name changes get, they are part of expressing South Africa’s heritage, and it remains a core strategy wituing the department.

“This is our own way as a sector in bringing meaning to freedom. In ensuring that the many unearthed and untold stories are given the platform through the national oral history project that we support.

“Through the geographical names project, we have also deliberately set the country on a path towards healing by changing names of towns and cities which have unsavoury colonial and apartheid connotations. In doing so, we have always sought to consult widely in ensuring that the affected communities are part of the name-change process,” he said.

Mtethwa was shuffled out of cabinet this month, replaced by Zizi Kodwa.

The last two years saw a host of significant name changes take place, including new names for Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), Cradock (now Nxuba) and Uitenhage (Kariega).

Before the most recent changes, the department announced names for new features registered in the country, including rivers, hills, cliffs and forests. These new features are in KwaZulu Natal.

The latest changes are outlined below:

Old name	New name	Province	Feature
Fort Beaufort	KwaMaqoma	Eastern Cape	Town
Somerset East	KwaNojoli	Eastern Cape	Town
Brooksnek	Ben Mbizweni	Eastern Cape	Village
–	uNobanda	KwaZulu Natal	Hill
–	uVelumemeze	KwaZulu Natal	Hill
–	eMasundwini	KwaZulu Natal	Forest
–	uMthavuna	KwaZulu Natal	River
–	iDikwe	KwaZulu Natal	River
–	uNomahlaya	KwaZulu Natal	River
–	iNgxangxazi	KwaZulu Natal	Cliff

 

source:Name changes for 2 more towns in South Africa (businesstech.co.za)

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