The Sandton Drive renaming saga: A lesson in diplomacy and politics

Expelled ambassador Ebrahim Rasool could learn diplomacy from presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya’s handling of the thorny topic of renaming Sandton Drive after plane hijacker Leila Khaled.

Rasool’s expulsion from the US has brought Sandton Drive into sharper focus as the US Consulate is on Sandton Drive, and pro-renamers are targeting President Donald Trump’s America.

Questioned by Radio 702 this week, Magwenya said: “There are engagements underway to get the leadership in Johannesburg to reconsider the process and we’ll see what that outcome is.”

While suggesting that President Cyril Ramaphosa does not want Sandton Drive renamed, this purports to leave the decision to others.

Diplomatic. However, engagements with Joburg’s ANCEFF-ActionSA-PA leadership will not resolve this issue.

ActionSA says the renaming has been halted, while the PA says partners have put the renaming “on hold until after the next election”.

That does not dispose of, or override a motion passed in 2018, which called for Sandton Drive to be renamed.

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Last week, a motion was tabled in council calling for the 2018 motion to be rescinded. ActionSA and the PA voted against that DA motion, which could have scrapped the whole process.

To clarify: if the motion had passed, that would have been the end of the attempt to rename Sandton Drive, finish & klaar. Some ActionSA councillors danced and cheered while anti-US and anti-Israeli insults were being hurled.

In English, the apt idiom would be “running with the hare and hunting with the hounds”. Afrikaans is more expressive: “Tweegat jakkalse.” Or the native American expression, “speak with forked tongue”.

You can’t oppose the renaming of Sandton Drive while opposing a motion to stop the renaming. Any agreement between parties to halt the process has no legal standing.

The authority to approve or rescind the renaming lies with council. There are also grounds on which the city manager can decline to execute a council resolution, for example, if it is unlawful, or the manager can invoke financial implications.

None has thus far been mentioned. A second part of the 2018 motion said the renaming must be in accordance with council’s renaming policy.

I have seen detailed legal arguments on how the city has violated its own policy. By claiming the proposed renaming is in terms of council’s approved naming policy, officials tainted the public participation process.

ALSO READ: Sandton Drive renaming in limbo as parties search for ‘consensus on the matter’

The city’s community development department is supposed to compile a report for council. It may or may not recommend renaming.

The final decision must be taken by vote in council, not by a cabal away from public scrutiny. ActionSA’s claim to have “led opposition efforts against this wasteful proposal” is laughable.

ActionSA does not have any ward councillors in Joburg. Sandton residents elected DA councillors to represent them.

DA ward councillors have led the campaign. They canvassed the views of residents and businesses, collecting over 5 000 traceable signatures.

They delivered the documentation. They represented residents’ views in TV and radio interviews, in print media and in council.

They engaged in high-visibility events under the slogan “Save Sandton Drive”.

Colluding behind closed doors with the ANC – from whom ActionSA may soon part – is not leadership.

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