PRESENTATION ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PROGRESS MADE 2.1 STATISTICS ON NAME APPROVED 2.2 STATISTICS AS PER PROVINCE 2.3 STATISTICS PER LANGUAGE 3. CHALLENGES RELATED TO STANDARDIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION 4. INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT PGNCs 5. NATIONAL HEARINGS 6. ENVISAGE CONSULTATIVE SUMIT 7. CONCLUSION 2

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. The South African Geographical Names is tasked with the responsibility, amongst other things, to standardize and transform names of geographical features [South African Geographical Names Council Act of 1998 (Act 118 of 1998) 1.2 This entails decolonizing the heritage landscape by replacing colonial names with the names that reflect a postcolonial, post-apartheid, democratic South Africa 3

1. INTRODUCTION CONT- 1.3 However, this transformation and decolonization should happen within the spirit of unity so that we are able to build a cohesive society 1.4 In order to accelerate transformation, it has to facilitate the establishment of Provincial geographical Names Committees (PGNCs) 4

2. PROGRESS MADE 2.1 Since its establishment the SAGNC has already compiled a set of regulations 2.2 The Handbook and information leaflet containing policy guidelines and procedures 2.3 Established computerized database 2.4 PGNCs exist in almost all nine provinces but there are challenges with their functioning which then result into slow pace of standardization and transformation of geographical names 5

2.1 STATISTICS ON NAME APPROVED Language Provinces Total number of names per language WC EC NC FS KZN NW GP MP LP Afrikaans 4 1 2 12 3 28 English 8 5 17 14 62 isiNdebele 7 isiXhosa 124 128 isiZulu 39 13 58 Sesotho Sesotho sa Leboa 18 164 188 Setswana 99 9 118 SiSwati 50 51 Tshivenda 88 Xitsonga 23 Other languages 16 6 21 72 Total number of names 35 134 54 127 31 136 318 849 6

2.2 STATISTICS AS PER PROVINCE 7

2.3 STATISTICS PER LANGUAGE 8

3. CHALLENGES RELATED TO STANDARDIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION 3.1. Conflict and contestation 3.2 Perceptions that the heritage of certain cultural groups is being destroyed 3.3 Perceptions that the renaming is a reverse form of discrimination 9

3. CHALLENGES RELATED TO STANDARDIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION 3.4 Disputes and court cases 3.5 Some people have constantly argued - use this money to build houses and create employment opportunities 3.6 Claims, therefore that the process is working against nation building and social cohesion 10

3. CHALLENGES RELATED TO STANDARDIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION CONT- 3.7 Lack of financial and human capital for the effective functioning of PGNCs 3.8 Disagreement on what constitutes sufficient consultation 3.9 Legislative challenges (e.g Provincial Legislation, Provincial representatives, Jurisdiction etc) 11

4. INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT PGNCs 4.1 On the 29 November 2002 the Department approved that Provinces should be given financial assistance (R200 000.00 for each Province) 4.2 to facilitate establishment and formation of PGNCs in all provinces to deal with transformation of geographical names 4.3 to empower the Provincial departments (through the Provincial Geographical Names Committees) to expedite the cleaning of the database and standardization of geographical names 4.4 Less progress was reported 12

4.2 INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT PGNCs CONT. 4.2.1 The Department of Arts and Culture took upon itself to drive capacity building and a comprehensive awareness( Mabitso Campaign ) campaign in all provinces in order to address the issues of transformation of geographical names 4.2.2 On the 23 and 24 of May 2005, The department organized a workshop that was attended by senior administrative officials and legal advisers for all provinces 4.2.3. On the 18th April 2007 The FOSAD HEAD/CABINET SECRETARY reported to the Department on the outcome of the meeting with the President and the Deputy President 13

4.3 INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT PGNCs CONT- 4.3.1 Amongst other things the Department, was tasked with implementing special social cohesion campaigns, which include national symbols and country-wide public hearings on geographical names 14

5. NATIONAL HEARINGS 5.1 On 30 May 2008 in Cape Town the Minister of Arts and Culture and the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) launched an implementation of special cohesion campaigns focusing on geographical names 5.2 A plan to conduct national hearings on geographical names in all nine provinces was presented to the public and the media 15

5.1 NATIONAL HEARINGS CONT- 5.1.1 National Hearings have taken place in all the nine provinces 5.1.2 The core message that was delivered during hearings was to encourage municipalities and other stakeholders to consult 5.1.3 Consultation is taking place in terms of Promotion of Administrative Justice Act of 2000 16

5.1 NATIONAL HEARINGS CONT- 5.1.4 All District Municipalities were represented and they were able to present their reports on standardization of geographical names 17

6. ENVISAGED NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE PROCESS 6.1 The issues that are emerging on national hearings are similar to those that were identified during Mabitso Campaign and Kempton Park Workshop on 23 and 24 May 2005 6.2 This has necessitated a need to stage national consultative workshop that will look into matters of consultation, policy, relationship between SAGNCs and PGNCs, DAC and Provincial Departments responsible for Arts and Culture 18

7. CONCLUSION 7.1 The DAC will be seeking Cabinet approval of a two days national reporting summit in 2010 7.2 Once approval is granted information will be made available to members of this committee 19

Thank You 20