William Nicol Drive to Be Renamed After Winnie Mandela, Joburg City Wants Input
- The City of Johanessburg wants its residents' input on the renaming process of William Nicol Drive
- The city began the consultation process last year and wants to include the people the renaming would affect
- The city has invited people to make presentations and public comments in regards to the renaming of William Nicol Drive after the veteran struggle veteran
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In 2020, the City of Johannesburg began proceedings to rename William Nicol Drive after late struggle veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The city promised to conduct a thorough process involving the community.
The city wants residents' input into the name change and the process has now begun and the city has released information on how people can take part.
Source: Facebook
Here are some reactions from tweeps to the post:
"Forward to WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA DRIVE Forward! We have to decolonize our spaces and street names and honour true Freedom Fighters! "
@Dre_AFC:
"I said in a stand-alone tweet, and I will say it again here: The ANC must hate Winnie for wanting to rename William Nicol after her. People hate that road with a passion."
@ThokozaniNala:
"Winnie Madikizela Mandela deserves her statue and Road name after, Airport even!!etc
I am however puzzled by the replacing a progressive Afrikaner like William Nicol.
Take a bold step and rename Jan Smut Avenue !!"
@MbuyiseniNdlozi:
"We are all behind the renaming of William Nicole Drive into Winnie-Madikizela Mandela Drive #WinnieMandelaDrive"
@RhuNdimande"
"It's all well and good that Winnie Madikizela Mandela is being honoured.
But it's about time govt started building new infrastructure and stop honouring our struggle heroes & heroines with apartheid infrastructure!"
Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that Mbizana local municipality has been renamed after struggle veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as a means to honour her for her part in ending the oppressive apartheid regime.
Provincial co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Xolile Nqatha gazetted the name change. Mbizana will officially change names on the first of April.
Cogta spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam confirmed that the municipality will change names according to Sowetan Live.
In other, Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Nqaba Bhanga has requested in writing that Port Elizabeth remains the name of the city. He claims that Gqeberha has no meaning for the people living there. He has requested that Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa reverse the name change.
His spokesperson, Morne Steyn confirmed that the mayor is against the renaming of the city. He said that the mayor does not believe that the name is inclusive.
Bhanga believes that Gqeberha has no isiXhosa meaning and the city should still be called Port Elizabeth. An online petition has been signed by more than 48 000 people calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to change the name back to PE according to News24.
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Source: Briefly News
