1. Those who agree with me on name-changes say …
1.1. At first when I heard of name changes I thought what a waste of time, but when u take a harder look I think it needs to be done. We take our street names for granted, not understanding the significance, eg Durbans Smith, West,Russell,Grey streets, they are all named after apartheid contributors,we need names that is relevant to South Africans,our history, & struggle which takes contributions of all races into consideration. – ayesha
1.2. Very well said, Madibeng. I've always found it ironic that people opposed to name-change, those who argue that it is a waste of time are invariably not black Africans, invariably middle-class. One wonders why they shout so loudly for "service delivery" ostensibly in the name of the poor. altruism? I think not – me
1.3. Never thought it that way. But you are right. Name change is indeed a delivery issue. People's dignity is so important that if you look through the history of human kind where there was an oppressor, their names have been removed because of the insulting connotation it carries. There is a reason why Hitler street is not to be found in Germany, Israel or even the USA. Influence of Mussolini in Italy is limited. India has adopted native names for their cities. Well written and well said. I am poor and want change - Len v Heerden
1.4. Viva Name Changes: It's the only way forward. Viva to name changes. Amazing how white folks suddenly become aware of service deliveries. It's like their senses have resurrected after centuries of hibernation throughout colonialism & apartheid. During which they became deaf and blind to other peoples sufferings. – VivaNameChange
1.5. I think what Madibeng is trying to say, and I take the writer's point, is that whether we change the names or not, it will not affect the service delivery in other areas. There wont be more manpower or more money for introducing running water if we decide not to re-name streets as other departments have their own inept people and the same budget regardless. Bit of perspective please. – Johno
1.6. Even though I am dead against name changes (yes, as a White Afrikaner), I find Madibeng's argument well-written and cannot fault his logic. As I see it, he does not advocate name changes IN STEAD of service delivery, but rather as PART OF it. Right? - cedb00
2. And those who disagree with me say …
2.1. Pride and identity: Yeah right, the poor need pride and identity. Maybe you have a place to sleep tonite and a full stomach when you do so, maybe you should sit without a job for a year, sleep on newspaper in a shack, eat whatever you can swallow .... then tell me about prie and identity. When do you want to start changing the name of Mercedes Benz and BMW, when do you want to start changing the nams of all the planets? Grow up and get positive, get real, start seriously providing a life for the poor. - Blah blah
2.2. How far do you want to go back? Mr Kgwete You end your letter with: "Are we forgetting our pre-colonial history?" Might I remind you that you are very selective in when the pre-colonial timeline starts. Scientific evidence have proven that first Homo sapiens in South Africa where the Khoi and San people. All the so-called black Africans migrated from central Africa. So why don't we allow the Khoi and San people to lay claim to all their land and name all the places? Or are we forgetting our pre-migration history? – Jonix
2.3. Easy to sit in the lap of luxury and speak on behalf of the homeless masses isn't it Madibeng. Take an opinion poll and see if the people want houses and infrastructure or new name sign boards. They care not for the quotes of Franz Fanon. – Tubz
2.4. Im sure if you ask a poor person if they want their town to be renamed or whether they would like clean running water or electricity, they would choose the latter. Lets get our priorities straight, then we can change then names to whatever we want. – JB
2.5. Have you lost it??? People die daily in SA because of a lack of nutrition, water and shelter. Who died of living in a city where the name is not to their liking??? Does your fellow South Africans mean so little to you that you would rather see them perish in a newly named city instead of having a fighting chance. Your attitude towards this country and it's citizens make me sick! Get lost. – Johan
2.6. I'm sorry, service delivery does not include name changes; i fail to see how this will benefit anyone living without proper sanitation. Madibeng you fail to realise or maybe don't want to realise that european people also played a part in forming what South Africa is today, so when you change names you are also stripping them of their heritage. Some names should be changed but not on the scale government is doing it...its a free for all. We all want to be proud of OUR COUNTRY. – Trevor
2.7. Madibeng, you make some good points, or at least get your appoint across quite clearly so i assume you're an intellectual. Well, tell me this: how does changing a place's name feed the hungry in that area, educate the children, care for the sick, develop the economy? Pride doesn't provide! Is wanting to provide the basic necessities being materialistic? What world do you really come from? – Gareth
2.8. So are you saying spending millions on changing names is far more important than addressing poverty, feeding the hungry and taking care of aids orphans, Madibeng? Get real! So a name changes, then what??? Big deal! Find some other frivolous thing to spend money on, while the underpriveledged are STILL out there starving??? You are hilarious! – Mike
2.9. I gather from the fact that the author has internet access, from his wide reading and his use of complicated words that he is quite well off. Yet he comments that name change is just as important as service delivery. He should tell that to the people in Protea South. They are most certainly not throwing rocks at journalists and setting fire to a councillor's house because they demand name changes to be made! – Dewald
- Please visit the following link for the whole debate: http://www.news24.com/News24/MyNews24/Letters/0,,2-2127-2129_2178406,00.html
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