“Legacy Isn’t a Name on a Sign”: Woman Unhappy With Government Money Spent on Changing Town Name

• A business coach questioned whether R14 million spent on a town's name change could have been better used
• Graaff-Reinet was officially renamed Robert Sobukwe Town as part of geographical name changes
• The woman argued that the money could have been used more productively instead of being used on something that won't benefit communities

Magriet, a woman who shares business and social content on Facebook, raised questions about government spending priorities. On 9 February 2026, she asked about Graaff-Reinet being renamed Robert Sobukwe Town. Her questions sparked debate about whether the money could have been spent differently.

She explained that Robert Sobukwe was born in Graaff-Reinet to working-class parents. People called him "The Prof" because he believed education was the weapon to free his people. Now the town is set to be named after him.

Magriet pointed out that the government has spent R14 million on name changes. She broke down what that same money could have done instead. It could have built a Robert Sobukwe Skills Training Centre. It could have fed 18,000 children for a year. It could have trained over 2,000 young people with real, employable skills.

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She argued that transformation should transform lives, not just letterheads. Her main question was directed at Minister Gayton McKenzie: Can he explain how these name changes will educate, uplift, and create opportunity for the people living in those towns? She finished by saying that legacy isn't a name on a sign. It's a life changed.

On 26 January 2026, Minister Gayton McKenzie approved 21 geographical name changes from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The changes followed recommendations from the South African Geographical Names Council. The department's goal is to fix the colonial and apartheid-era naming system by using indigenous languages and recognising cultural heritage.

View the Facebook post below:

South Africans debate name change priorities

Netizens had mixed reactions to Facebook user @magrietgroenewaldsocial's post:

@jp_kerneck suggested:

"Build a new school and name it after him. Easy."

@reggie_levie balanced:

"Robert Sobukwe's legacy deserves honour. At the same time, many South Africans hope transformation brings practical change—education, skills, and jobs—alongside symbols. True legacy is measured in lives uplifted, not only names changed. 🇿🇦"

@frans_dube agreed:

"I believe that the best way to honour a person is to build an infrastructure and name it after him."

@craig_young said:

"Oh well, as long as our kids don't learn in history that Robert Sobukwe Town was founded in 1786."

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@christopher_samuels defended:

"Robert Sobukwe was a warrior. Changes must come to liberate Africans."

@kevin_adams questioned:

"How did the indigenous people feel when someone came from another country to change the name of a place he and his father and his father have known for centuries?"

More on SA reactions to name changes

• Briefly News recently reported on a KZN man who voiced his anger over East London being renamed KuGompo City.
• A funny exchange about East London's new name went viral, with an Xhosa-speaking man teaching someone the correct pronunciation.
• East London's name change to KuGompo City sparked outrage among social media users who questioned the process behind the change.

Source: Briefly News