Staff Reporter.
The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has gazetted new name changes for 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.
Mthethwa 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).
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.