Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie said he will still rely on municipalities and members of the public on matters related to name change processes.
McKenzie said the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC), the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act and the UN Resolutions on geographical names stressed public involvement concerning the standardisation of geographical names.
“All members of the public, especially those who have been historically marginalised, have the right to have their voices heard in the transformation of geographical names.
“Communities must identify/support the new names where old names are being replaced,” he said.
The minister stated that municipalities facilitate public consultations on the name change processes.
“It is crucial for the minister to rely on the involvement of both municipalities and the public,” he said.
McKenzie was responding to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Thapelo Mogale, who asked whether he will consider introducing a bill giving him powers to institute name change processes and not rely on municipalities to facilitate the process of name changes.
Mogale also enquired about the action McKenzie will undertake to fast-track name changes across the country and his intentions regarding statues of colonial and apartheid leaders which are still publicly displayed.
McKenzie said the SAGNC, working together with the provincial geographical names committees (PGNCs), has been embarking on an ongoing public awareness campaign on the need to transform the geographical names landscape.
“It will continue with this process and is currently planning to conduct national awareness using both national broadcasting and social media platforms.”
He said following national consultation, his department appointed a ministerial task team to advise on the transformation of South Africa’s heritage landscape in the 2017-2018 financial year.
The ministerial task team produced a report with recommendations for tabling to Cabinet for endorsement.
McKenzie said the department through the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) conducted a national audit of all statues in South Africa in the 2021-2022 financial year as part of implementation of the ministerial task team’s recommendations.
“However, the National Treasury declined the department’s request for the budget allocation regarding the relocation, repositioning and curation into Regional Cultural Nation Building Parks of statues and monuments not in line with the values and spirit of the constitution.
“Once the budget is made available, SAHRA together with Provincial Heritage Resources Authorities and local authorities and guided by National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 will ensure stakeholder involvement and public consultation with all the relevant and interested parties in the relocation, repositioning and curation into Regional Cultural Nation Building Parks of statues,” he said.
Cape Times