Residents of Lydenburg in Mpumalanga are to march this week against changing the name of their town, contending that correct procedures had not been followed.
”Proper procedures were not followed. We have all the proof of all the minutes of the name-change committee and the attendance registers,” said Democratic Alliance councillor Isabel Dickson.
She said Lydenburg mayor Clara Ndlovu announced the move to rename Lydenburg to Mashishing in a local newspaper last week.
In the notice, she said this decision was taken during a council meeting held on July 15 2005.
”We have ascertained there was no council meeting on July 15 2005,” Dickson said.
”There was a special council meeting on May 30 2005 and a routine meeting on August 18 2005. But at both meetings, no decision was taken to change the name from Lydenburg to Mashishing.”
The minutes of the August 18 meeting could not be found, Dickson said.
”We are petitioning against the whole process being wrong, writing up petitions and getting residents to sign, which we will hand to the mayor on Thursday.”
The petition will also be sent to Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan.
Kenny Mashiego, personal assistant to the mayor, said: ”I don’t think it’s true that proper procedures were not followed.” — Sapa