Johannesburg - A four-year-long court bid to have the name of Mpumulanga's capital changed back to Nelspruit, from Mbombela, has been lost, the Sunday Times reported.
“We will abide by the court's decision,” Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism spokeswoman Linda Grimbeek told the newspaper.
The High Court in Pretoria on Thursday set aside the chamber's application to have the name Nelspruit reinstated.
The chamber challenged the name change because it believed the process had been flawed.
She said the judge dismissed their application with costs because the name change was gazetted four years ago.
“He said we cannot turn back the course of history.”
Grimbeek said the organisation's lawyer would study the ruling.
Mpumalanga culture, sport and recreation department spokeswoman Sibongile Nkosi said the ruling was welcomed.
“We can move forward with the mandate of unifying our people,” she said.
Nkosi said the changing of signs in the city would be fast-tracked. - Sapa