Uitenhage has say on names
Garden Town, Kariega and Kamesh were some of the names suggested for Uitenhage at a public hearing on Tuesday night.
Others present at the meeting opted for the town’s name to remain the same.
More than 70 people gathered in the Uitenhage Town Hall to share their views on the possible name change.
Some expressed concern that not enough people knew about the meeting and asked if it could be held again, after people had been given enough time to arrange transport.
Desmond Mputshe, of KwaNobuhle, said the majority of people in the township were not even aware of the event.
“What I think would not be fair, or would be a problem, is to come here and support names while a lot of people were left behind in KwaNobuhle,” Mputshe said.
“I’d like the committee to call the meeting again so those who missed it can share their views. The masses have been left behind and there may be complaints that they did not participate,” Mputshe said.
Eastern Cape geographical names committee deputy chair Zukile Jodwana said it was required by law to publish details of the hearings and give dates and times, which it had done.
“We called stakeholders to explain the process and also urged them to encourage members of their constituency to come and participate.
“We’re satisfied with what we’ve done in terms of processes required by procedural guidelines,” Jodwana said.
“We don’t know people’s reasons for not attending.”
Jodwana said people could also object to the suggested names if they so wished and that it had received 254 objections when it renamed Grahamstown Makhanda.
The names suggested for Uitenhage included Toloyifeni, Garden Town, Kariega or Kamesh, and Swartkops.
Marco Jentel said he did not agree with the name change but, as a consolation, he supported Uitenhage being changed to Kamesh.
“The Garden Town is a bit generic and I can’t even pronounce the other names,” Jentel said.
Bruce Koopman, of Gerald Smith, objected to any name changes.
“For some of us, living in SA is not easy, and sometimes a name is all that we can identify with, it’s all we can cling to,” Koopman said.
Martin Pram, from the Uitenhage Despatch Tourism Forum, said in terms of the names he preferred Garden Town because it was more marketable.
“Uitenhage being associated with Tolofiya is misleading,” he said.
“Garden Town is a brand that markets itself and if you read the town’s biography there’s an association of Garden Town.”
Pram said “Nelson Mandela” was too dominant and that Uitenhage had its own stalwarts who could be recognised.
“David Stuurman is also an icon, and an indigenous icon of the Eastern Cape.
“And because we’re promoting diversity, I choose the airport to be named after him,” Pram said.