In the Ekurhuleni Ordinary Council Meeting on September 18 a decision was taken by council which could have far-reaching effects for the greater Ekurhuleni and Alberton. The council voted on the proposed action to rename several geographical features, buildings and streets within Ekurhuleni. At the council meeting the vote was in favour of the changing of names and the proposed changes were therefore accepted by the council.
The City of Ekurhuleni’s geographical naming and renaming committee was established on January 30 to consider the changing of names in Ekurhuleni. The committee delivered their recommendations for changes and the requisites to the council on February 13. On February 21 the proposals were noted by council. To allow public participation for suggesting names to be changed the committee held three public participation meetings where names were suggested, and based on their reasoning accepted. The three public participation meetings were held at Farani Community Hall in Tsakane, DH Williams Community Hall in Katlehong and Rabasotho Community Hall in Tembisa. These were the only three public participation meetings held pertaining to the proposing of names, even though the proposed names are not necessarily only in these areas but rather all over Ekurhuleni.
Two major roads in Alberton have received recommendations for the name to be changed which has been accepted by the council. These are Swartkoppies Road and Michelle Avenue. The proposed new name for Swartkoppies Road is Ali Maziya, named after the ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe. Michelle Avenue is set to be renamed after Nelson Mandela, the first president of democratic South Africa. Two further roads to be changed are Kliprivier Road and Heidelberg Road, but they have been sent to provincial government to review as these are provincial roads. Kliprivier Road has been recommended to be renamed after Sam Nthuli and the individual sections of Heidelberg Road have been recommended to be renamed after Grace Flathela and David Bopape respectively. Several other interchanges and exits surrounding the Alberton area are also set to have their names changed.
Now that the name changes have been approved the next step will be for the committee to update the Names Bank, inform the Surveyor General of the approved names and inform the SAGNC. From there the committee will work with the various relevant departments to begin implementing the name changes.
Read what businesses have to say about the name change on page#
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