The Supreme Court of Appeal yesterday decided that nine street names had been changed without due attention to procedure adn should be changed back to their former guise.
eThekwini Municipality’s name changing policy has caused an uproar since its start in 2008, with many residents expressing their dissatisfaction at the process.
The DA and IFPs’ appeal against 90 other changed names has been turned down as the Supreme Court found that due public participation was allowed in this second phase of the programme. The DA has said that they are not essentially opposed to name changing, but they do oppose the way the process was undertaken.
The affected streets are (with the names they were changed to):
Victoria Embankment – Margaret Mncadi Street
Stanger Street – Stalwart Simelane Street
NMR Avenue – Masabalala Yengwa Avenue
Point Road – Mahatma Gandhi Road
Alice Street – Johannes Nkosi Street
Grey Street – Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street
Broad Street – Anton Lembede Street
Commercial Road – Dr AB Xuma Street
M4 northern freeway – Ruth First Highway
According to the judgement, the municipality must take down the new names of these nine streets within three weeks and put up the old names.
When the new names were suggested, there was no invitation for other suggestions and residents were given only seven days to submit written comments.
What do you think about these name changes? Share your ideas below…