The City of Cape Town has advertised a series of proposed new street names in the newspapers, asking for the public’s comments on these proposals.
A Naming Committee was convened last year under the chairmanship of the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, Councillor Brett Herron, to manage naming and renaming of streets, buildings and public places in the city. This committee will look at new name change proposals, as well as a series of suggested name changes remaining from previous years.
“In 2007, the City received a set of 31 proposed new names, of which four have been implemented in the meantime. We invite the public to comment on the remaining 27 name changes, before a proposal is made to Council,” said Councillor Herron.
The proposed 27 name changes will be subjected to a public participation process. Public meetings will be held at which local and affected communities will be informed on the thinking behind the proposed name changes, and to offer communities every opportunity to comment.
Seven of the streets proposed for renaming cut across multiple Subcouncils and wards, impacting a city-wide target group. These streets will require a more rigorous public participation process. The seven streets are:
- Hendrik Verwoerd Drive
- Jip de Jager Street
- Vanguard Drive
- Lansdowne Road
- Jan Smuts Drive
- NY1 in Gugulethu
- Willie van Schoor Drive
“The process to change street names will be as inclusive as possible. We will distribute localised pamphlets in every street where a name change is proposed, and provide as much information on the process as possible. If anyone is directly affected by a street name change, we want to give them the chance to comment,” said Councillor Herron.
Public meetings are scheduled for 6, 13, 20 and 27 March 2012 at venues across the City. These public meetings will be interactive and affected communities will be informed as to the reasons for the proposed name changes.
All comments must be submitted by 31 March 2012 and include a motivation for or against the renaming proposals.
For more information on the process, visit www.capetown.gov.za/naming
