Thousands of residents marched in protest Saturday over the proposed renaming of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town in the Eastern Cape.
Residents Protest Proposed Name Change of Graaff-Reinet
The proposed renaming of the historical town of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town has sparked resistance from residents who fear it will further divide a community already facing service delivery challenges. Thousands marched on Saturday, wearing “Hands off Graaff-Reinet” t-shirts to voice their opposition.
A local business owner told The Citizen that the cost of changing signage, maps, and other literature would amount to millions of rands, a financial burden the town can ill afford.
“It’s also about history,” the resident said. “Does the ANC and the PA simply want to erase history and heritage altogether?”
The 240-year-old town is named after Dutch Governor Cornelis Jacob van der Graaff and his wife, Cornelia, whose maiden name was Reinet.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie approved the renaming in honor of Pan Africanist Congress founder Robert Sobukwe, who was born in the town in 1924. The name change was gazetted on February 6, and the public has until March 6 to register objections.
The Democratic Alliance’s Samantha Graham-Maré stated in February that her party strongly opposes the name change, having fought against proposed changes in Graaff-Reinet, Aberdeen, and Adendorp since 2023.
Graham-Maré added that McKenzie “brazenly misled and betrayed the people of the Eastern Cape,” noting that he previously stated he would not approve the name change for Graaff-Reinet, citing more urgent provincial crises.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomed the decision, stating in a February statement that the renaming is a necessary ideological intervention in a country whose geography still reflects colonial conquest.
A local survey indicated that more than 80% of residents oppose the proposed name change.
The Graaff-Reinet Economic Development Forum has raised concerns about the process followed for the name change and has publicly questioned its legal and historical basis.
Legal action has been initiated by a local attorney in conjunction with the forum. Residents say the name Graaff-Reinet represents more than just a geographical location.
“The name Graaff-Reinet is more than a label on a map,” one resident said on social media. “It represents heritage, identity, history and a shared sense of belonging that spans generations.”
A steering committee has been formed to coordinate opposition efforts, and online petitions and door-to-door campaigns have been launched. Organizers say hundreds of signatures have already been collected.
Residents expressed concern that the name change will not improve living conditions or create opportunities, and may deepen divisions within the community.
Similar name changes across the country have proven controversial, such as the proposed renaming of Sandton Drive in Johannesburg to Leila Khaled Drive, which drew criticism and potential diplomatic fallout with the United States.
Past name changes have also been costly, with 27 street names changed in Pretoria reportedly costing more than R800 million in 2008, and the City of Johannesburg spending R250,000 to change 21 road signs from William Nicol to Winnie Mandela Drive.
Graham-Maré stated that forced, poorly consulted name changes do not unite people, but rather divide communities and deepen mistrust.
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