THE renaming of Turton Community Health Centre has divided the Umtwalume community.
Things got a little tense at the community consultation meeting which was held at Isibanini Community Hall last Friday.
The MEC for Health Sibongiseni Dhlomo arranged the meeting to hear the community’s views. Some members of the community, including Inkosi Bhekizizwe Luthuli, were not happy with the proposed name of Mfundo Arnold Lushaba.
Umzumbe municipality speaker, Sizwe Ngcobo, said the municipality had consulted with the community, and the decision that the health centre be named after the late Mfundo Arnold Lushaba, Umzumbe’s first ANC mayor, came from the community. He described Lushaba as a hero who worked hard at improving the lives of others.
Inkosi Luthuli said he was not at all pleased with the proposed name.
“I was the one who requested that a hospital be built in Umtwalume, I even gave land so that the health centre could be built there,” said Inkosi Luthuli. He added that he was very disappointed because no one had run the proposed name by him.
“No one asked me as inkosi of this area. Why must the health centre be named after someone who has a short history?” he asked.
“The building belongs to the community, it should be named after the place not after an individual.”
