Ngwako Modjadji
Residents of Bolobedu, near Tzaneen in Limpopo province, have lodged a complaint with the provincial government after the municipality failed to change the name of their village from Strangers’ Rest to Bolobedu South. The area is a tourist attraction for its cycads.
The villagers say the road sign at the entrance to the village, identifying the area as Strangers’ Rest, refers to them as strangers.
Villagers have threatened a boycott of service charges and local businessmen said they will withhold taxes if the board is not removed immediately. They have also threatened to remove it themselves.
Residents say they approached the provincial government two months ago but little progress has been made.
Last month residents marched on the Greater Tzaneen Municipality offices and presented a memorandum demanding that the name of their village be changed. They said the provincial government agreed to change the name immediately after the laying of a tar road, which was supposed to have been completed by February. They also accused the provincial government of changing names at the top while forgetting people on the ground.
“This is not a racial war and we don’t fight with anyone but we are uncomfortable with the implication that we are strangers in our own territory,” says Cate Moagi, a businesswoman who owns a shop a few hundred metres from the board.
Alex Matlala says the community finds the name insulting. However, Samuel Sebetola, who is unemployed, says the issue of changing names is a waste of money and urges the government rather to provide jobs.
African National Congress town councillor Masilo Mashapu says he is investigating the matter in conjunction with the transport committee of the municipality.
A representative for the MEC for housing and local government, Ishmael Molele, says a community that is planning to change its name is free to do so, but there is a procedure that should be followed. “The community should take the matter to their municipality and the municipality will take the matter to the South African Geographical Name Council.”
The Northern Province last month announced a name change to Limpopo. Now the province is planning to change the names of numerous cities and towns a move criticised as a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Among the names changed are Warmbaths, which is now called Bela-Bela; Nylstroom, which is Modi-molle; Potgietersrus, now Mokopane; Pietersburg, now Polokwane; Louis Trichardt, now Makhado; and Messina, now Musina. Tzaneen will retain its name after a recommendation by the Greater Tzaneen Council.
Much of the white community opposed changing the name of Tzaneen and the renaming of the city’s streets, saying that the exercise would involve a lot of money that could be used to alleviate the social and economic difficulties of people in the region.
The village, which is home to farm workers forcibly removed and resettled there in the early 1980s, is one of the poorest in the country. Roads are unpaved, there is no clean drinking water and the residents struggle to find work. Grandparents often support three generations with their pension cheques.