“Sounds Like a Slum”: KZN Man Voices Anger Over East London’s Name Change to KuGompo City

• A KZN mechanic shared a video expressing his frustration after East London was officially renamed
• Minister Gayton McKenzie approved 21 geographical name changes from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal
• The name change is part of the government's effort to promote indigenous languages

A KZN mechanic shared his frustration over a recent name change that divided South Africans. Mark shared his disappointment with the government on 10 February 2026, saying:

"What name is KuGompo City? This government built nothing. I will still call it EAST LONDON!!! 30 years to build your own city, and all you did was rename places and take credit... Sounds like a squatter camp name. Ridiculous..."

The man recorded himself sitting inside a vehicle, shocked that East London is now called KuGompo City. He questioned whether the old name was considered too Afrikaner and needed changing. He compared the new name to a slum and asked if that was the best name politicians could come up with.

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He dragged the government for spending time renaming places built in the pre-apartheid era instead of focusing on other priorities.

Government to change town names

On 26 January 2026, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie approved 21 geographical name changes and name registrations from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

According to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the mission is to standardise geographical names in South Africa and address the colonial and apartheid-era naming legacy. The aim is to restore dignity and correct historical imbalances.

One commenter explained that the name KuGompo is inspired by the sound of waves crashing against Gompo Rock, a sacred site for the amaXhosa people.

Watch the Facebook clip below:

South Africans hate the KuGompo City name

Social media users had strong opinions about the city's name change on Mark's Facebook page:

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@imtiaz_khan said:

"They're stuffing the whole SA. We're all stuffed, bee."

@michael_okelly stated:

"If you can't build something, rename something."

@alan_gray agreed:

"It applies perfectly to the current situation."

@stacey_stac explained:

"The name is said to be inspired by the sound of waves crashing against Gompo Rock, a sacred site for the amaXhosa people."

@russell_blake_fletcher joked:

"Lmfao. I still call Transvaal, Transvaal."

@justin_erasmus said:

"Mark, you have no idea how stupid this name change is."

@bjorn_erichstrom_lindquist shared:

"Old habits die hard. PE is PE. Pretoria is Pretoria. Cape Town is Cape Town. The names of the places I knew growing up are still the names. Not because of anything else, but it's where I have been and know and remember how to get there."

More SA towns and cities name changes

• Briefly News recently reported on the Mpumalanga legislature adopting a motion to rename Kruger National Park as Skukuza.
• East London's being renamed to KuGompo City sparked outrage among social media users nationwide.
• The Sobukwe family spoke out during the Graaff-Reinet renaming controversy after the town was renamed Robert Sobukwe Town.

Source: Briefly News