/ 13 June 2000

CONTROVERSY RAGES OVER E CAPE NAME CHANGES

CONTROVERSY is raging in the Eastern Cape over proposed name changes once the newly demarcated muncipal boundary issue is finalised, with Grahamstown presently in the limelight. Those in the know have, however, pointed out that the new names apply only to the new municipal areas and not necessarily the cities and towns as such. Forget about the Gahamstown Festival… and get used to the “Makana City Festival of the Arts”. That is if the ANC gets its way with the proposed new name for municipal boundary EC104, including the City of Saints and surrounds. “Makana City” is derived from a famous Xhosa warrior who used to fight British settlers, Makana Nxele. The ANC denies that the name change would have negative economic consequences. Another name proposal for Grahamstown is Emfundweni, meaning “place of learning”.