Sobukwe Family Speaks Out Amid Graaff-Reinet Renaming Controversy
- Graaff-Reinet has been officially renamed Robert Sobukwe Town, sparking fierce local debates about identity and legacy
- Opposition arose from political parties, claiming the renaming sidelined local voices and heritage
- The grandson of Robert Sobukwe acknowledged the mixed feelings while urging South Africans to embrace change amidst socio-economic issues
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
Graaff-Reinet has officially been renamed Robert Sobukwe Town, triggering fierce debate in the Karoo. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture formally gazetted the change after Minister Gayton McKenzie approved it.
One of 21 geographical name changes
The town, founded in 1786, is one of 21 geographical name changes announced nationally as part of efforts to redress colonial and apartheid-era naming legacies. Tsepo Sobukwe, grandson of the late anti-apartheid activist, said the moment was both powerful and painful. He told IOL he appreciated that his grandfather's legacy had been given an opportunity to live on and reach more people. He admitted he felt torn as backlash spread across social media and within local communities.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
He said he had expected resistance, describing Graaff-Reinet as a small town still shaped by apartheid-era power dynamics. He argued that economic control and job opportunities remained largely in the hands of a minority. Still, he said he was surprised that some young people had also opposed the renaming.
South Africans to embrace change
Sobukwe also reflected on the risks of memorialising leaders through names and statues. He warned that political shifts could one day erase such tributes. Despite the hostility, he said he was glad his grandfather's legacy would be remembered, even though reading negative comments had been painful.
He urged the government not to lose sight of deeper national challenges. While names matter, he said, they should not distract from urgent socio-economic issues. He called on South Africans to embrace change and noted that many historical names had originally been imposed without public participation.
Source: Twitter
Political parties slam name change
Democratic Alliance MP and Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Samantha Graham-Mare opposed the decision. She said the renaming did not reflect the will of the local community. She said the name Graaff-Reinet was deeply entrenched and meaningful to locals. She described the move as politically driven rather than restorative and claimed local voices had been sidelined. According to her, attorneys were preparing legal objections. She said the public had 30 days from gazetting to object and that submissions must be made by 8 March.
The Freedom Front Plus has also rejected the change. Party leader Dr Corne Mulder called on residents and South Africans more broadly to ignore the new name. He said Afrikaners were often expected to sacrifice their heritage and insisted his party would not accept that. He described Graaff-Reinet as part of the country's shared heritage and national identity.
The Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania defended the decision. The party accused the DA and FF Plus of clinging to the past and resisting decolonisation. It argued that opposition reflected lingering fear of the ideas Sobukwe championed. The PAC said the apartheid government had treated Sobukwe as a uniquely dangerous political prisoner, placing him in solitary confinement on Robben Island and separating him from other inmates.
Funny exchange about East London’s new name
In another article, Briefly News reported that a viral video highlighted the ongoing conversation surrounding the renaming of an Eastern Cape city.
The clip shared on TikTok features an Xhosa-speaking man jokingly teaching a woman the correct pronunciation of the city's new name.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
