"South Africa Might Be Changing Their Name": Gent Discusses SA's Potential Transformation to Azania

• A content creator shared potential new names for South African provinces if the country changes its name to Azania
• The African Transformation Movement has proposed renaming South Africa as the Republic of Azania as part of a broader decolonisation project
• South Africans are divided on the proposal, with some questioning the cost and practicality

A Facebook content creator has sparked heated debate after sharing potential new province names if South Africa changes its name to Azania.

@Garfieldzar, who regularly posts content about South African affairs, shared the video on 13th July with the caption:

"South Africa's New Province Names", getting people talking about a proposal that could reshape the country's identity.

In the video, the content creator outlined how each province might be renamed if the African Transformation Movement's proposal goes ahead.

"South Africa might be changing their name to Azania, and if they do, these might be the new names of each province," he explained before listing the potential changes.

According to the video, Gauteng would become Kana, while KwaZulu-Natal would change to Zola. The Western Cape would be renamed Hui, and the Eastern Cape would become Thoko. The Free State would get the new name Bela, and Limpopo would simply be called Venda. Mpumalanga would transform into Zonga, the North West would become Tswana, and the Northern Cape would be known as Zora.

The content creator ended his video by asking viewers what they thought about these potential changes, opening the floor for discussion about whether such drastic alterations would benefit the country.

Mixed reactions from South Africans

The proposal has created division among South Africans, with critics questioning its practicality and supporters seeing it as a necessary decolonisation.

@MikeFox raised concerns about regional resistance:

"Good luck trying to change KZN's name, the Royal Zulu family might have something to say about that!😂"

@GarthGardiner worried about tourism impacts:

"Gonna lose millions of tourists, where on earth is Azania😂"

@FrikkieVanZyl suggested going all the way:

"Let them change everything for once and for all, even the names of the oceans and the neighbouring countries. Then they can start by changing the names of other countries and their landmarks, and the very, very last thing they will change is the name of KFC."

@KhalilHetman preferred the current system:

"I'd rather keep my KZN, sounds waaaay cooler than a coke or zol, whatever."

@BoetaOpperman made a political joke:

"And South Africa's new name will be South China."

@FrancescoVaccaro criticised the proposed names:

"Those names sound like fake coins."

@JacquelineColindaDamiani questioned priorities:

"Seems South Africa has too much time and money on its hands 😂 😂 😂"

ATM pushes for national decolonisation

The proposed name change isn't just a random suggestion. The African Transformation Movement has announced plans to table a proposal before Parliament and the Constitutional Review Committee to rename South Africa as the Republic of Azania. ATM president Vuyo Zungula argues that "South Africa" is a colonial name created through the Union of South Africa in 1910 by the British and Boers.

"Before 1652, we were not South Africans," Zungula stated, explaining that the current name comes from colonial structures designed to oppress indigenous people. He believes it's time to reclaim the country's identity, comparing the proposal to other post-colonial nations like Namibia that changed their colonial-era names.

The name Azania has deep roots in the Black Consciousness Movement and was popular among anti-apartheid organisations like the Pan Africanist Congress and the Azanian People's Organisation. According to George Wauchope, a Black Consciousness theorist:

To accept the name Azania means that one identifies with the aspirations of the oppressed people for liberation."

Watch the Facebook reel below:

Other stories about South Africa

• Briefly News recently reported on an American couple who moved to South Africa and created their dream home on a R56,000 monthly budget, but their choice of location raised eyebrows among locals.
• Trump's new tariff policies could lead to increased unemployment in South Africa, with motor industry experts warning about devastating consequences for local workers.
• The Gauteng Department of Education launched an investigation into allegations that Jayden-Lee Meek suffered abuse after disturbing details emerged from his school peers about his home life.

Source: Briefly News