Bloemfontein’s name might change to Thabure, the name of a Basotho chief’s white horse, if Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan approves the name change eventually.
”It’s just a suggestion at this stage, it is not even before the committee to consider it,” Mario Sefo, of the Free State department of arts and culture and secretary to the committee, said on Tuesday.
Thabure was the name of the horse of Chief Lerotholi, a grandson of King Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation.
The suggestion was handed in by the Basotho culture organisation, Mokgahl’a Thesele.
The secretary-general of the organisation, Mmamothibeli Sehlabo, said their suggestion came as a result of an earlier call by President Thabo Mbeki for an African Renaissance.
”So, we thought the best way of teaching the future generations about their history is to change the name of the capital of the Free State,” she said.
”It’s a well known horse [story] in Basotho culture, it’s actually poetic to say Thabure which means — the destroyer of the enemy,” Sehlabo said.
”We think it’s a good name for Bloemfontein and in itself a teaching lesson, because the future generations would ask why is this place called Thabure, what lies behind Thabure’s name, and people would be able to say it.”
Sefo said the provincial place name committee received eight suggestions for place name changes from the public so far, which include the names of six towns and two rivers.
Thabure was the only one for Bloemfontein.
Sefo said the Free State place name committee would hold a consultative workshop on November 26 where the committee would explain how the processes should unfold.
Other name change suggestions the committee had received so far are for Harrismith to Mengkhoaneng, Fouriesburg to Fothane, Senekal to Kuretlele, Ficksburg to Joalabeholo, Ladybrand to Mabolela and Clocolan to Hlohloloane.
Sefo said when these suggestions reaches the application stage, public hearings would be held in the effected communities.
”Bloemfontein’s name might thus remain, it’s up to the people of Bloemfontein,” he said. – Sapa