Efforts to rename three Sunshine Coast landmarks have sparked controversy, with community members accusing the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (ECPGNC) of rushing the process.
The storm erupted during a stakeholder meeting at the Port Alfred Civic Centre on Wednesday, where about 250 residents, business owners and local politicians gathered to demand answers from ECPGNC officials.
At the centre of the dispute are proposals to change the names of Port Alfred to iCoyi or iCawa, the Kowie River to iQoyi, and Alexandria to Nkosi Chungwa or Emnyameni.
But residents say they were given insufficient notice, no supporting documentation and no information on who submitted the proposals.
The meeting, billed as a preliminary consultation, was arranged less than two weeks after stakeholders first received notice of the name-change applications on July 24.
The process was already under legal scrutiny after the Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (PARRA) instructed attorneys De Jager Lordan to intervene.
In a letter dated August 1 and addressed to arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie, SA Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) deputy director Thulile Mthembu and several local officials, attorney Marius Coetzee said the time frames were unreasonable.
“Our client is committed to assisting the ECPGNC and other stakeholders by engaging meaningfully with it and providing evidence in support of its submissions,” he said.
“It can, however, only do so if given an adequate opportunity to engage with its members and relevant stakeholders.”
Coetzee told Talk of the Town: “There hasn’t been proper notice, and the invitation hasn’t been properly circulated ... Alexandria is 50km away from where the meeting is going to be held.
“There’s no evidence that the invitation was circulated there or among any of Ndlambe’s residents who are either illiterate or don’t have internet access.”
The letter also asked for a copy of the full application and supporting documentation by Monday August 4, and demanded that any future meetings be advertised at least 21 days in advance.
The reply came just hours before Wednesday’s meeting.
The senior legal services manager for the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture, advocate J Kruger, acknowledged the matter was still at a preliminary stage but warned PARRA against going to court.
“The ECPGNC would vigorously oppose any intended court application aimed at halting the standardisation process,” Kruger said, adding that the department would seek a cost order should such action proceed.”
Despite this, Wednesday’s meeting appeared to signal a step back.
Officials clarified that the meeting was not part of a formal public participation process, but rather an early-stage engagement to identify stakeholders.
ECPGNC chair Christian Martin chaired the tense meeting, where residents demanded transparency on who had submitted the proposals and what had motivated the suggested name changes.
“There hasn’t been any explanation of who the applicants are, or why these names were chosen,” one attendee said.
Coetzee, who was present, clarified that a stakeholder consultation was distinct from a public meeting.
He argued that meaningful engagement would be better served by having representatives from organised interest groups — such as tourism, business, and heritage organisations — rather than entire communities.
“A smaller group representing the community’s diverse interests would allow for a more functional meeting,” Coetzee said.
Martin agreed, urging those in attendance to align themselves with representative organisations which reflected their views.
“Make sure that your voice is heard through the structures you trust,” Martin said.
“Public participation, where individuals can speak directly, will happen later.”
Frustrations boiled over when local businesswoman Sunelle Miller demanded more concrete answers.
“We gave up our time to be here. You need to respect this town’s residents and answer our questions,” she said.
“Otherwise, what was the point of coming?”
Ndlambe PR councillor Xolisa Runeli then stirred the room further by suggesting the name of Bushmans River should also be changed, prompting further confusion.
Coetzee reiterated PARRA’s request for the name-change applications and all related documentation.
The SAGNC sets out a seven-step process for geographic name changes, including public participation and motivation through historical or cultural research.
The final decision is made by the minister of arts and culture and published in the Government Gazette.
SA has seen dozens of renamings in recent years, including Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Kariega (Uitenhage), Makhanda (Grahamstown), KwaMaqoma (Fort Beaufort), Nxuba (Cradock) and Komani (Queenstown).
While the motivation for these changes is often tied to SA’s post-apartheid transformation agenda, tourism and business leaders in Ndlambe say the impact on the local economy cannot be ignored.
“The possible disruption to our brand equity, tourism marketing strategies and the economic wellbeing of the region’s communities cannot be overstated,” a joint statement from the region’s tourism stakeholders said.
“We recognise the importance of transformation and inclusivity in SA’s heritage landscape.
“However, we strongly believe that any process to review or rename our region’s geographical features must be consultative and transparent and carefully balance historical legacies with the need to protect the economic and tourism interests tied to these names.”
The next stakeholders consultation meeting has been tentatively scheduled for September 10.
Talk of the Town
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