Have your say on renaming of street

THE public participation process into the renaming of Keizersgracht to Hanover Street has been opened.

The move follows a request by the District Six Working Committee in June, that the City deal with the injustices of apartheid and colonialism.

Among their reasons, committee chairperson Shahied Ajam said: “The name Hanover Street is one of the last vestiges of our heritage from which we had been robbed by the mere stroke of a pen by the City Council. Hanover Street was the lifeblood of the district. It was not only the place where old friends met, but also where they bade farewell to loved ones who died as a result of heartaches caused by forced removals.

“Similarly, our people of the District Six community had been robbed of a great part of their identity.”

He added that Sir George Grey, the governor of the Cape Colony in the 1850s, was seeking favours from the German Keizer to supply him with regiments to fight the Zulus in Natal to rob them of their land – and, as a gesture of goodwill, named the street after the German leader.

“It is a wicked heritage for a name so many Capetonians now take for granted,” Ajam said.

The City has called on residents and interested and affected parties to share their views during the public participation process.

“With the legacy of apartheid still present in many aspects of our daily lives, we need to be mindful of the ways in which we can contribute to addressing the wrongs that were committed,” the City said.

The public participation process will run from July 15 to 26. However, residents can already submit their comments and share their stories at naming@capetown.gov.za

Written submissions can also be dropped off at the City’s subcouncil offices.