The Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee has allayed any concerns of mayhem when BCM residents make their final inputs into changing the name East London to a proposed “Gompo City” in April.
This follows a heated stakeholder consultation meeting held at the City Hall on Wednesday.
The consultation was attended by ward committee members and traditional leaders in preparation for April’s crucial public hearings.
This was the third and final stakeholder consultation after the committee hosted events in Qonce and Mdantsane this week.
BCM council speaker Humphrey Maxhegwana said chaos from political groupings would not be tolerated when residents discussed the proposed name changes.
“Beyond political lines we want everybody to have a say … people should understand that the final decision will be based on the majority.”
Maxhegwana’s comments came after Patriotic Alliance members, led by Schalk van der Sandt, accused the committee of not having proper representation of the coloured community, the Khoi and the San.
“Don’t you think it is a smack in the face of the people of Buffalo Flats that you people are changing names of places but you are not fixing potholes in those places?” he asked.
Responding, Buffalo City metro mayoral committee member for finance and newly appointed provincial geographical names committee member Noma-Afrika Maxongo labelled those undermining the process as “unpatriotic”.
“All government programmes are budgeted for, including this one of social cohesion.
“Social cohesion is as important as any other form of government and it is the most patriotic thing.
“If you are unpatriotic and you want to forget about your past, who you are, you will have an issue with this process.”
BCM ward committee member Mandilakhe Mphantsi asked the committee to conduct a vote.
However, committee member Inkosi Gwazinamba Matanzima said the existing criteria were effective and allayed fears of mayhem.
Public hearings will be held in East London on April 15.
Maxhegwana said due to the size of the metro, 10 wards of the 24 in the coastal region, of wards from Scenery park to Duncan Village, would meet at the Gompo Hall at 10am.
The remaining 14 wards would meet at the City Hall at 2pm.
Proposed name changes included:
- Oxford Street, which could be renamed Adam Kok Street or King Rharhabe Road;
- Buffalo Street, which could be renamed after former ambassador and late spy boss Silumko Sokupa, who died in 2022, or City of Igaab ’Ab — which translates to Place of Buffaloes;
- Settlers Way, to either Steve Tshwete Road, Chief Phato Road or King Phalo Road,
- Gompo township to Clements Kadalie township, and
- Former Ciskei airport, Bulembu, outside Qonce, to Chief Dyani Tshatshu Airport.
Grey Hospital in Qonce could be renamed the Dr Vukile Peteni Hospital, while the new multimillion-rand Breidbach interchange could soon be named after late politicians Mluleki George or Leon Lionel Meyer, religious leader Rev JP Ncaca or traditional leader Inkosi Phakamisa Tshatshu.
Also included is Qonce’s Golf Club as a stand-alone suburb for official recognition within the city’s map.
Efforts to officially rename Macleantown to Mpongo will form part of the discussion.
The submission was put forward by cultural activist Bonisile Grey, who had previously suggested the renaming of East London Airport to King Phalo.
Monti and KuGompo were the only names bandied about as authorities pondered the renaming of East London.
The move to consider KuGompo hit a snag because there was already a township called Gompo.
The proposal to rename the township after Kadalie could see East London finally assuming the name.
Daily Dispatch
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