MANDILAKHE KWABABANA and ENTLE MBONYANA
East London will officially become KuGompo City, while Graaff-Reinet is to be renamed Robert Sobukwe Town.
Sport, arts & culture minister Gayton McKenzie has approved 21 more geographical name changes across SA.
The changes, which follow nationwide public consultations, will be gazetted in the coming weeks.
SA Geographical Names Council chair Johnny Mohlala confirmed the approvals on Tuesday.
“The minister has signed the names, but they still need to be gazetted,” Mohlala said.
“Any objection raised before a name is gazetted is considered premature and the act does not require us to deal with petitions.”
Sport, arts & culture department spokesperson Zimasa Velaphi said the department would issue a broader statement soon.
“It is not only Eastern Cape names that were sent through,” she said.
The approved changes in the province include:
East London — KuGompo City;
Graaff-Reinet — Robert Sobukwe Town;
Aberdeen —Xamdeboo;
Adendorp — KwaMseki Bishop Limba; and
Nieu-Bethesda — Kwa Noheleni
Buffalo City Metro held public consultations on the proposed name changes in Qonce, Mdantsane and coastal areas in March and April 2025.
Monti and KuGompo were initially proposed as new names for East London. However, a township is already named KuGompo.
A later proposal included renaming the township after pioneering unionist Clements Kadalie, while adding “City” to KuGompo as the name for the metro area — a move that ultimately led to the approval of KuGompo City.
Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director Lizelle Maurice said businesses should have been more directly involved in consultations.
“They’re supposed to consult businesspeople because we are the ones affected.
“Stationery, our letterheads, everything has to change to this new town or this new place that it’s going to be called.
“Why don’t they just focus on the grassroots, fixing our town, making sure we have clean drinking water, making sure that we have proper roads to drive on so that we don’t have to spend money on tyre repairs for potholes?”
The renaming of Graaff-Reinet previously sparked debate, with proposals to honour either Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe or fellow anti-apartheid activist Fred Hufkie.
Sobukwe — a teacher, lawyer and Graaff-Reinet native — was eventually selected.
He was the founding president of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and led the 1960 Sharpeville anti-pass law protests.
After his arrest, he was detained on Robben Island under the notorious “Sobukwe Clause”. On his release, he was confined to house arrest until his death.
Azania Movement president Nolubabalo Mcinga said the renaming of the Karoo town marked a historic correction.
“The renaming of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town proves that structured engagement, intellectual rigour and disciplined persistence deliver real transformation.
“For the people of Robert Sobukwe Town, it corrects a colonial legacy and restores historical dignity.
“Our next step will be to advocate for the renaming of the country itself, as ‘South Africa’ is not a proper name but a geographic direction on the continent.
“We have engaged specialists, experts and supportive countries of Brics to assist the Azania Movement to make this project a success, and we will engage the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to work with us to implement solutions.”
Historian and author Dr Jongi Klaas described the changes as historically significant.
“Interestingly, Dawid Stuurman, after whom the airport in Gqeberha was named, was one of the people who led the Khoisan Rebellion around Graaff-Reinet from 1799 to 1803.
“That piece of Graaff-Reinet was part and parcel of the Hundred Years’ War, where the Khoisan and the AmaXhosa were united against the colonialists.
“So, changing it to Robert Sobukwe is a defining thing in the history of SA, and we express our sincere gratitude to the minister for taking such a bold step.
“Surely history will be kind to the minister.”
SA has officially renamed more than 1,500 geographical features since 1994, including towns, rivers, mountains, roads and airports.
KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape have recorded the highest number of changes, followed by Limpopo.
In August, the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee announced proposals to change the name of Port Alfred to eCawa, the Kowie River to iCoyi and Alexandria to Nkosi Chungwa or Emnyameni.
The Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents’ Association has since filed court papers seeking to interdict the process.
Mohlala said the move was premature.
“Any objection before a name is gazetted is premature.
“There are still consultations, and people will have the opportunity to make objections within 30 days after the name has been gazetted.”
Name changes begin at community level, followed by public consultations conducted in line with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act.
After verification and recommendations by the SA Geographical Names Council, the changes are submitted to the minister for approval before being gazetted.
Residents across East London expressed mixed feelings about the new name.
Darnell Steynberg of Nahoon said: “I honestly don’t think it’s necessary.
‘It’s going to be difficult to pronounce the name, especially for Afrikaans people.
“I personally like East London, I feel like there’s nothing wrong with the name.”
Khuster Mbambo from Mdantsane said: “We are used to this, they keep changing the names of these towns, wasting money instead of using it for something productive.”
Nosipho Baliso of Amalinda said: “I’m honestly not quite sure how I feel about this change.
“I believe it’s going to affect businesses and it’s going to take a while to get used to.”
Harriet Muwonge from Beacon Bay North said: “I honestly don’t know how to feel about this change.
“I guess we should just wait and see how it unfolds.”
Koko Koom of Mdantsane said: “I feel like the name East London has nothing to do with us black people.
“When you talk about East London some people think you’re talking about London.
“But I think it’s going to be expensive.
“Also, we would like to know the reason behind the change.
“Why that name, and how is it related to our history?”
Siphosethu Ndola of Gonubie said: “Honestly, there are better things that could be done to improve our city than changing the name…”
