/ 29 June 2007

Durban streets can be renamed, says court

The Durban High Court has ruled that the eThekwini municipality can go ahead with controversial plans to rename several of the city’s streets and landmarks.

South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Friday that the court rejected an application by the Democratic Alliance to force the municipality to put a hold on street name changes.

The DA had asked the court to prevent the municipality from proceeding with the second phase of the renaming process and also asked for the first phase to be reversed.

Phase one of the city’s renaming process saw eight major roads in the city centre renamed, as well as two buildings.

The municipality was set to proceed with phase two, but an outcry from segments of the public and a protest march of more than 10 000 people through the city centre on May 1 resulted in the municipality extending deadlines for residents to raise objections to the proposed changes. — Sapa