The names of South Africa’s most celebrated freedom fighters might soon appear on every street corner and building in Potchefstroom, the city council said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Japie Fransman said the next time someone walks down Van der Hoff Street, they might just be walking down a street named after President Thabo Mbeki, ”the country’s favourite man”.
”There are still streets named after our colonial oppressors yet we are now free. Name changing is a symbol of celebrating our country’s democratic achievements so far.
”As a nation we need to reach a point where we must celebrate those who fought for this freedom. There would then be no better people chosen to name our streets after than the proposed,” he said.
The proposed names were submitted by councillor Lucky Tsagae at an African National Congress meeting earlier this month.
Tsagae stipulated that Potchefstroom had to follow the examples of Johannesburg, Rustenburg and Polokwane by changing the names of their streets to celebrate the country’s young democracy.
Fransman said the opposition Democratic Alliance was in principle not opposed to the process, but had a problem with some of the proposed names.
The public has yet to comment on the proposed name changes.
The proposed changes are:
Poortman, Potgieter and Holtzhauzen streets to be jointly renamed Nelson Mandela Drive;
Van Riebeeck Street to be Peter Mokaba Avenue;
Kruger Street to be Walter Sisulu Avenue;
Mooirivierlaan to be named after Govan Mbeki;
Greyling Street be renamed Oliver R Tambo Avenue;
Von Wielligh street to be Albert Luthuli Drive; and
Tom Street to be Steve Biko Avenue. – Sapa