Gqeberha: Nathi Mthethwa’s project is bound to backfire

I was born and grew up in Port Elizabeth, sometimes referred to as eBhayi or eMambhozana – the Friendly City.

Not only has PE been the capital of the Eastern Cape in terms of its size, budget, infrastructure, cleanliness and a working economy – before the country’s first democratic elections – it remains the pride all those hailing from that part of the country.

For whatever reason, the status of PE as the capital ceased under the ANC government. Bhisho – long associated with the former Ciskei bantustan, became the capital.

And the Eastern Cape – as we knew it – was lumped with another former bantustan of the Transkei – in the interests of a unified province.

Under the ANC, Port Elizabeth has suffered serious financial, economic and leadership setbacks, with no one taking full responsibility for the potholes, heaps of uncollected garbage, blocked drains and a stench from sewage flowing through the streets of Zwide, KwaZakhele, New Brighton and Motherwell.

Political infighting and tensions over lucrative tenders have become dominant factors that have contributed to the fall of historic PE – home to business and political leaders like Saki Macozoma, Stone Sizani, Mkhuseli Jack, Rory Riordan, Vuyisile Mini, Ray Mhlaba, Topsy Madaka, Siphiwe Mthimkhulu, Winston Ntshona, John Kani, Siphiwo Ralo, Trevor Tambo and Vusi Pikoli.

Amid all the challenges which deserve being given attention and priority, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa – whose track record of resolving challenges faced by the entertainment industry during Covid-19 leaves much to be desired – pushed for a name change in PE, to some place called Gqeberha.

As we have reported before in this newspaper, this move – not shared by the majority of people in the city – has sparked unity across colour lines in a campaign against Mthethwa tempering with our rich history, culture and heritage.

Mthethwa’s controversial renaming of the historic PE to Gqeberha – a predominantly black township in Walmer – has drawn the ire of residents, local leaders and Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor Nqaba Bhanga, with a public petition calling for the immediate reversal of the decision.

Mthethwa’s pet project in the face of a deteriorating PE – high unemployment, a collapse in infrastructure and an impact on tourism – is set to cost the city dearly.

Under the guise of so-called transformation, the Mthethwa project is bound to backfire. We are in a year of local government elections and – perceiving a negative impact at the polls – the regional ANC leadership in PE has come out against the Gqeberha name change.

Economic implications for the city are also huge. Bhanga has correctly said the name change would have “a devastating effect on the economy of the city, especially in the tourism industry, because people won’t know their destination”.

“If you have the Democratic Alliance, ANC and other parties claiming there were glaring gaps in the consultation process leading to the name change, then we have a problem,” he said.

Experts have estimated that the name change of PE to Gqeberha could run into millions – a cash cow for those at the forefront of tenders.

Costs include signage, rebranding of businesses, business cards, logos, Google map locations and websites.

It is estimated 38 road signs in the 70km between Humansdorp and Port Elizabeth alone will need to be changed. From Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Alice, there will be thousands of these signs.

So much for the tenderpreneurs.

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