Changing place names in post-apartheid South Africa: accounting for the unevenness

This paper examines the renaming of South Africa's public places, following the country's democratic breakthrough in 1994. The process has unfolded unevenly throughout the country's nine provinces. The paper explains this unevenness. Fundamentally, it contends that the act of renaming has unfolded largely as a restoration of indigenous memory, which, in turn, is mediated by a number of factors. The lopsided nature of renaming is indicative of the similarly uneven manner in which South Africa's black population recalls indigenous memory. How black people relate to colonial memory also determines whether or not they would want to change it: some came to identify with colonial memory, while others were offended by it. This contrasting symbolism of colonial memory is a result of the varying 'native policies' pursued by the Boer republics, on the one hand, and the British colonial states, on the other. In other instances, indigenous memory simply vanished due to the absence of reminders, while some descendants evolved a new identity that to some extent erased the memory of their ancestry. Keywords: place namescolonialismmemoryidentityacculturation Notes 1. In January 1995 both official residences of the president were renamed: Libertas in Pretoria became Mahlambandlopfu, a Tsonga term that means 'the washing of the elephant', denoting the 'new dawn'; Westbrooke in Cape Town became Genadendal, named after mission station in the Western Cape established in 1738. The name honoured the Khoe and former slaves who lived at the station and contributed towards the evolution of Afrikaans. The deputy-president's residence in Pretoria, Overvaal, changed to Oliver Tambo House in October 1997; and the amphitheatre at the Union Buildings changed to Malibongwe Embokodweni. 2. In 1995 DF Malan was renamed Cape Town International Airport; Louis Botha became Durban International Airport; Jan Smuts changed to Johannesburg International Airport; and Lucas Mangope was replaced with Pilanesberg Airport. 3. Hendrik Verwoerd changed to Gariep; Braam Raubenheimer to Kwena; Charlie Malan to Impofu; Fanie Botha to Tzaneen; Hans Strijdom to Mokolo; Hudson Ntswanisi to Nsami; Jan Wassenaar to Klaserie; Lake Menz to Darlington; Mokgomo Matlala to Arabie; Paul Sauer to Kouga; PK le Roux to Vanderkloof; and Sarel Hayward Canal to Orange-Riet Canal. 4. The other was Gauteng Province, which changed from Transvaal. 5. These included Ellisrus to Lephalale; Messina to Musina; Naboomspruit to Mookgophong; Nylstroom to Modimolle; Pietersburg to Polokwane; Potgietersrus to Mokopane; and Warmbaths to Bela-bela. 6. Becker Street was changed to Gerard Sekoto; Minaar Street to Mahlathini Street; West Street to Ntemi Piliso Street; Pim Street to Gwigwi Mrwebi Street; Goch Street to Henry Nxumalo Street; Wolhuter Street to Margaret Mcingana Street; Sydenham Street to Noria Mabasa Street; Avenue Road to Dolly Rathebe Road; Park Road to Barney Simon Road; and Bezuidenhout Street was renamed Miriam Makeba Street