It was good cheer, rugby and music in Pretoria’s Church Square on Saturday after a group of about 500 protesters submitted petitions to the Department of Arts and Culture against renaming the city Tshwane.
Families gathered together with their friends and pets as an announcer encouraged them to dance, cheer and buy copies of Steve Hofmeyr’s latest CD. Hofmeyr had earlier given a short speech and led the march.
”I would definitely call today’s march a success in terms of the turn-out, participation and spirit. We are very satisfied with it,” said Pretoria-based Democratic Alliance councillor Fred Nel.
”The South African Geographical Names Council [SAGNC] will definitely have to consider what has been set out in the petition in their considerations on the name change,” Nel said.
He declined to give a prediction of the outcome of the Super 12 semifinal clash between the Blue Bulls and the Waratahs in Sydney, which protesters were watching on a big screen erected on the square early on Saturday afternoon.
”All I can say is I hope we win!” Nel said.
Vusithemba Ndima, the chief director of heritage, who received the petitions from the marchers, said he will hand them over to the SAGNC, which will consider the objections when deciding whether to recommend the name Tshwane to Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan.
”When the council considers the recommendation of the name, it will take these petitions into cognisance,” he said.
The Tshwane metropolitan council voted in March to register the name Tshwane with the SAGNC as a place name. This would see the metropolitan area being renamed with only the city centre remaining Pretoria.
Successful registration of the name would see it being used on road signs, in weather reports, and all official documentation.
The council will meet to discuss the name change on May 26.
A handful of black participants took part in the march, which was attended by the young, old and disabled.
The marchers held up placards reading: ”Tshwane is nie my pa nie [Tshwane is not my father]”, ”Pretoria stays Pretoria” and ”Hak hak Tshwane is kak”.
Earlier on Saturday, the old South African flag, the Vierkleur and Blue Bulls rugby flags were hoisted in Church Square as the crowd proceeded to the department to hand over their petitions.
The march was organised by Pretoria Civil Action, a group comprising business, trade union and cultural organisations.
Organisations participating in the march included the Gauteng North Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Organisations (FAK), and the ”Pretoria remains Pretoria” group — consisting of 27 organisations and political parties, including the Democratic Alliance and the Freedom Front Plus. — Sapa