Johannesburg | Monday
IT would be a good idea to rename schools, theatres and streets in South Africa that presently held politically or historically sensitive names.
This is the opinion of 48% of respondents who participated in a nationwide poll among 2000 respondents in metropolitan areas conducted by Research Surveys in July this year.
Research Surveys said the sample of men and women was representative of the four ”ethnic” groups in the country and was fully representative of the metropolitan population in terms of age, income and area.
Respondents were asked how good or bad an idea they felt it would be to rename buildings or streets that presently held politically or historically sensitive names.
”Forty-eight percent of respondents felt that it would be a good idea compared to 31% who felt it would be a bad idea. Twenty-one percent were undecided on the matter,” Research Surveys said.
The majority of white people (73%), coloured people (69%) and people of Indian descent (61%) felt it was a bad idea, but only 10% of black respondents were of this opinion.
Capetonians were the most negative – 57% felt it to be a bad idea, compared to only 30% of respondents from Port Elizabeth, East London and Bloemfontein, 28% from Durban and 25% from Gauteng.
Distinct differences in the choice of names were noted among the four groups the survey was divided into.
Sixty-six percent of black people agreed that the names of current South African politicians were suitable for renaming schools, theatres and streets, compared to only 10% of coloured people, nine percent of respondents of Indian descent and seven percent of white respondents.
The same differences in opinion held true when it came to the use of the names of past politicians – 60% of black respondents were in agreement with this opinion compared to 10% of white, nine percent of coloured and seven percent of ”Indian” respondents.
The use of indigenous names of flora and fauna was the preferred choice among white respondents (49%), coloured (37%) and ”Indian” (60%).
A further preference was shown for the use of names based on geographical associations, such as Beach Road. This was chosen by 48% of white respondents, 38% of coloured and 29% of ”Indian” respondents.
Black respondents preferred the use of names of current politicians (66%) and also of well known people with no political connections or affiliations who were presently contributing towards building a new South Africa (65%). Meanwhile, advocate Willem Heath’s report on the probe into allegations of fraud in the mayor of Cape Town’s proposal to rename Adderley and Wale Streets will not be handed to any political party, local government and development planning MEC Pierre Uys said at the weekend.
Uys said he expected Heath’s report on Tuesday/ He would, along with legal advisers in his department, do a proper and detailed study of the report, its findings and recommendations.
Uys said he would decide on appropriate action after consulting with Heath and only then would the report be available to interested parties and individuals.
Last month Democratic Alliance mayor of Cape Town, Peter Marais, abandoned his proposal to rename Adderley and Wale Streets in the city after former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, after The Mail & Guardian uncovered apparent voter fraud. – Sapa