By Karen Breytenbach
Away with Nazi sympathiser Oswald Pirow, in with world-renowned Cape Town heart surgeon Chris Barnard.
Out with Jan Smuts, prime minister of the Union of South Africa, and in with anti-apartheid attorney and former justice minister Dullah Omar.
Kromboom Road (Belgravia) should be changed to Taliep Petersen Drive, De Waal Drive (Cape Town) to Phillip Kgosana Drive and Milner Road (Sea Point) to Ingrid Jonker Street.
These are among the public proposals made to the City of Cape Town for the renaming of roads, public places, buildings and artefacts.
The public have also proposed that Bluegum Road in Bonteheuwel be renamed Ashley Kriel Road, that Coen Steytler Avenue be Walter Sisulu Avenue, that JB Hertzog Boulevard be changed to Nelson Mandela Boulevard and that Jip de Jager Street in Bellville become Dulcie September Street, after the Athlone-born activist who was murdered in exile in 1988.
The process was launched in April, and after an initial public participation process, a panel of 16 experts was appointed, which was chaired by human rights activist Rhoda Kadalie.
The others are Mohammad Abduroaf, Dan Badenhorst, Bonita Bennett, Mohamed Bayat, Albin Bowler, Judy Graham, Sharon de Gois, Valmont Edward Layne, Marietta Marx, Melvyn Minnaar, John Muir, Bulelwa Ngewana, Chris Saunders, Daniel Sleigh, Francois Verster and Thozama Yawa.
Since the closing date for the submission of proposals on May 11, the list has been whittled down from 238 proposals from 50 individuals or organisations, to just 39 proposed name changes.
The proposals were put before the mayoral committee on June 20.
The final list was opened for public comment on Wednesday with a statement from the City of Cape Town.
Advertisements are to be placed in community newspapers this week, followed by advertisements in larger newspapers at the weekend.
Convener of the renaming process, councillor Owen Kinahan, said he was pleased with the public's response to the initiative.
He said the proposals received reflected "thoughtful submissions that included pre-colonial, Dutch-colonial and liberation-era ideas as well as literary references".
"Nearly all the suggestions were for the names of people rather than events, fauna, flora and other categories which the city's policy also encouraged," he said.
Kinahan said the public had until August 22 to comment and could do so either on the council's website, or by filling in Afrikaans, English or Xhosa forms at any of the 23 sub-council offices across the city.
Forms can also be posted to Renaming, PO Box 16548, Vlaeberg, 8018, e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 021 487 2255.
After the proposals are reviewed, the full council will take the final decision on the implementation of name changes.
Other names up for change are:
- Andries Pretorius Street (Somerset West) to Orange Street (The original name was Orange Street).
- Athlone Civic Centre (Athlone) to Coline Williams Civic Centre.
- Castle Street (Cape Town) to Krotoa Street.
- DF Malan Street (Cape Town) to David Poole Street.
- First Road (Grassy Park) to Isaac Jacobs Road.
- Frans Conradie Road (Goodwood) to Acre Road (This street was originally named Acre Road).
- Hans Strydom Avenue (Cape Town) to Albert Luthuli Avenue.
- Harrier Street (Flamingo Vlei) to Blue Crane Street (There is another Harrier Street within a radius of less than 5km, which causes confusion in the area).
- Hendrik Verwoerd Drive (Panorama) to Beyers Naude Drive.
- Hertzog Road (Eastridge) to Christopher Truter Road.
- Jakkalsvlei Road (Bonteheuwel) to Anton Fransch Road.
- Jan Smuts Drive (Simon's Town) to Fred Carneson Drive.
- Lansdowne Road (Lansdowne) to Imam Haron Road.
- Long Street (Mowbray) to Reverend Theo Kotze Street.
- Milner Road (Scottsville) to PJ Philander Road.
- Milner Road (Tamboerskloof) to Uys Krige Road.
- Milner Street (Metro Industry Township) to Jan Rabie Street.
- Milner Road (Observatory) to SV Petersen Street.
- Milner Road (Woodstock) to Adam Small Street.
- Modderdam Road (Parow Industry) to Robert Sobukwe Road.
- Nico Malan Street (Park Estate) to David Rabkin Street.
- NY1 (Gugulethu) Steve Biko Drive.
- Otto du Plessis (Koeberg) to Ikhwezi (rising sun) Drive.
- Port Road (Cape Town) to Fort Amsterdam Road.
- Selwyn Road (Woodstock) to Fort Knokke Road.
- The Footbridge connecting Langa and Bonteheuwel to Bonte-Langa Footbridge (a symbolic unifying gesture between two communities).
- Tulbagh Avenue (Stellenryk) to Janfrederik Avenue (Janfrederik or the Cape Robin is a common bird in the area).
- Vanguard Drive (Goodwood to Mitchells Plain) to Govan Mbeki Drive.
- Wittebome Civic Centre (Wynberg) to Wynberg Civic Centre.
- Willie van Schoor Drive (Oakdale) to Jeff Masemola Drive.