More geographical name changes are on the horizon across South Africa. East London is one of the prominent towns slated for renaming.
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Sibulele Ngongo, the Eastern Cape MEC for Sports, Recreation, Art and Culture, recently addressed new renaming plans.
East London, Aberdeen, and Colchester are among the towns targeted for new names in this province.
Several SA cities have already undergone name changes in recent years:
- Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha (Eastern Cape)
- Queenstown to Komani (Eastern Cape)
- Ladysmith to Alfred Duma (KwaZulu-Natal)
- William Nicol Drive to Winnie Mandela Drive (Johannesburg)
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As per Business Tech, East London has faced a renaming proposal before. In 2020, an application to change its name was rejected. The proposed name conflicted with an existing settlement by the same name.
Currently, The South African Geographic Names Council (SAGNC) is overseeing a total of 66 renaming applications nationwide. Since its establishment, it has renamed 1,505 geographical features across South Africa. These changes affect various geographical features, including towns, post offices, mountains, and rivers.
As SA continues to address its colonial past, more name changes are expected. The process aims to create a more inclusive national identity.
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