AfriForum has offered the government a panel of 13 Afrikaner historians and academics to help deal with the issue of name changes, and threatened legal action if the offer is refused.
The civil rights initiative, established by the trade union Solidarity, said on Sunday that it had asked Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan to consult with the panel about the cultural and historical significance of Afrikaans place names before approving changes.
Failure to do so would see AfriForum resorting to legal action, their statement read.
”AfriForum’s proposal to the minister follows in reaction to continued efforts to change Afrikaans place names, such as Pretoria and Potchefstroom, which are of great cultural historical significance, especially to Afrikaners.”
Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, stressed that the organisation did not oppose all name changes, but most strongly objected to the changing of names which are of great cultural and historical significance to specific communities.
AfriForum warned that ill-considered changing of place names, especially when the impression is created that primarily Afrikaans place names of great cultural historical significance are being targeted, is a ”recipe for undesirable polarisation in South Africa”.
”If Dr Jordan were to ignore this constructive proposal of participation and simply forge ahead subjectively, changing the names of Pretoria and Potchefstroom, AfriForum will definitely resort to legal action, based on the irregularities in the name-changing process followed to date,” Kriel said.
He believes that political agendas, rather than public participation, had thus far been determining factors in name changing processes.
AfriForum’s panel comprises Professor Fransjohan Pretorius; Dr Dionç Prinsloo; Dr Jackie Grobler; Professor André Wessels; Professor Cobus Ferreira; Professor Wannie Carstens; Professor Kobus du Pisani; Professor Grietjie Verhoef; Professor Johan de Villiers; Professor Pieter Kapp; Professor Otto Terblanche; Professor Leo Barnard and Professor Louis Changuion. — Sapa