Question NW1000 to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
13 April 2023 - NW1000
Denner, Ms H to ask the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
(1)Whether a cost estimate was done for the name changes of Fort Beaufort, Somerset East and Brooksnek in the Eastern Cape; if not, (a) why not and (b) how will the impact on the fiscus of the Eastern Cape with regard to the name changes be determined if a cost estimate was not done; if so, what are the costs associated with the changing of each geographic name; (2) whether there was a public participation process in each of the locations; if not, why not, if so, (a) where, (b) on what date was it held and (c) what were its findings; (3) in light of the fact that many geographical names were changed in the Eastern Cape during the course of the 6th Parliament to date, which include Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha, King William's Town to Qonce and Uitenhage to Kariega, what (a) total number of geographical name changes took place in the Eastern Cape since 2019 and (b) was the cost estimate for all the name changes in total
Reply:
(1) A cost estimate was not done for name changes of Fort Beaufort, Somerset East and Brooksnek in the Easter Cape, (a) all the work of both the Provincial Geographical Names and the South African Geographical Names is funded by departmental programmes as part of the allocation as per government mandate.(b) there will be no impact on the fiscus through the work of both provincial and national geographical names support as this forms part of budgeted mandates
(2) Yes, there was public participation in each of the three locations and the details are as follows:
(a)&(b) Brooksnek on 12 October 2022,
Fort Beaufort on 31 October 2022 and
Somerset East on 14 November 2022.
(b) These public consultation meetings were advertised in both the Daily Despatch and Isolezwe lesiXhosa and Hartland newspapers.
(c) All public hearing meetings supported the three name changes.
(3) (a) The total number of geographical name changes that took place in the Eastern Cape since 2019 is one hundred and three (103)
(b) The cost related to these name changes relates to public consultation notices, honoraria for Committee and Council sittings. These are budgeted for within government departments.