Question NW561 to the Ms SJ GRAHAM: TO ASK THE MINISTER OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE
20 March 2024 - NW561
Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Ms SJ GRAHAM: TO ASK THE MINISTER OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE
(1). What is the total number of applications received from the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee since the start of the standardisation of the place names process, (2). Whether all the applications were approved, if not, (a) what total number was not approved, (b) what were the reasons for their rejection, and (c) which applications were not approved, (3). How many applications were successfully objected to (a) prior to gazetting, (b) post gazetting, and (c) on what grounds would an objection be successful?
Reply:
1. The total number of applications received and gazetted from the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee (PGNC) since the start of geographical names process in the Republic of South Africa is 312.
2. Not all the applications were approved.
(a) The total number of applications not approved is 2.
(b) The reasons for their rejection were that the one name was a duplication of an already existing suburb name and the other name required consultation with all stakeholders in the town.
(c) Applications not approved were the city name changes of East London to KuGompo (applied for in 2020) and initially the changing of the name of Grahamstown to Makhanda. Subsequent to that consultation, the name change was returned to the Minister, approved, and gazetted in the government gazette of 29 June 2018.
3. (a). No name application was successfully objected to prior gazetting.
(b). No name application was successfully objected to post gazetting.
(c). A name application would be successfully objected to, if the application process was not followed, i.e. if the name application did not follow the South African Geographical Names Council Act, (Act No 118 of 1998), the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) 2000 (Act No 3 of 2000) (when it comes to consultation) and the Council’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Thank you