Zululanders speak out against name change
During a recent cadre’s forum, Mthethwa is reported to have told supporters that South Africa was not the name of the country, but just ‘a geographical description of where we are’
MINISTER of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa recently sparked a nationwide debate after he vowed to lobby the ANC to open a discussion on finding an appropriate name for South Africa.
During a recent cadre’s forum, Mthethwa is reported to have told supporters that South Africa was not the name of the country, but just ‘a geographical description of where we are’.
Mthethwa, whose department is in charge of naming public areas, said the ANC had never given itself time to think about the name of the country.
‘To tell the truth, the country does not have a name. It is not there,’ he said.
The Minister’s remarks were met with criticism as he further made specific mention of other areas in the country such as Durban as well as Empangeni.
‘Benjamin D’Urban named our place, eThekwini, after himself and called it Durban.’
He said he had also recommended a name change for Empangeni because ‘there is no such name in Zulu language’.
‘The area used to be called Embangweni Wombuso wakwa Mthethwa (infighting over the chiefdom of Mthethwa clans),’ he said.
Mthethwa and his department successfully changed the name of uThungulu District Municipality to King Cetshwayo District Municipality.
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The district was previously named after a fruit found in the area, but Mthethwa said the fact that King Cetshwayo used to travel around the area was more important than the fruit.
Mthethwa is expected to raise the issue during the party’s national policy conference at the end of the month.
Meanwhile Zululanders took to social media platforms to express their views regarding the issue of name changes.
Xoli Luthuli wrote: ‘Empangeni was named after Mpange trees growing along the river banks… I like the name, nothing wrong with it… Durban is eThekwini nje… Nathi Mthethwa is bored shame.’
‘He should focus on feeding the starving, building homes for the homeless, providing education and transport for the children that so desperately need it, equipping the destitute with skills to find jobs or create their own businesses to sustain themselves. Just more of South Africans’ hard earned money going down the drain,’ wrote Leena Andrew.
‘Waste of taxpayers’ money – what’s the point of renaming Empangeni when the condition of the roads around town is a disaster,’ wrote Zimbili Dlungwana.
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