20 Gauteng roads to be renamed, including R55

Public participation on the proposed renaming of 20 Gauteng roads will start soon, Centurion Rekord reports.

This was according to Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Ismail Vadi while addressing Laudium residents on Thursday morning.

“The provincial government has proposed the name changes in order to honour those who have made a profound contribution to our province,” said Vadi.

“These include contributions to the struggle against apartheid but also contributions made post-1994.”

The R55 near Centurion was one of the roads the provincial government wanted to rename, Vadi said.

“We are proposing that it be named after Philip Kgosana,” he said.

Kgosana was a Pan Africanist Congress leader and played a pivotal role in leading one of the largest demonstrations against apartheid: a march in 1960 where 30,000 protestors opposed pass laws.

“He was only a youngster at that time but was from the Pretoria region,” said Vadi.

Other names being considered included Moses Kotane, writer Nadine Gordimer, and even rugby player Joost van der Westhuizen.

However, Vadi explained the changes would not happen overnight.

“We have made the proposal of the changes to the Gauteng geographical names committee who will start with public participation soon,” he said.

“From there it will go to the national names council who will look at the application and public participation outcomes. Only then will a recommendation be made to the ministers of transport and arts and culture.”

Vadi called on all residents to take part in the public participation process.

“Make your own recommendations of names you would like to see used or even suggest roads that you want to see renamed,” said Vadi.

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