Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) has recently embarked upon a programme which will see several areas in the metro being re-named. This petition does not object to the name change in principle but objects to WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE WHICH COULD BE BETTER UTILIZED FOR REDUCTION OF POVERTY AND PROVISION OF SERVICES. We also feel that this is just a “vote seeking” exercise, or to win favour with the voting public of BCM for all the wrong reasons. Among the name change proposals are Southernwood to Tebekana, Amalinda to Malinde, Quigney to Mhlonyane, Gonubie to Qunube, King William’s Town to Qonce, Duncan Village to Ziphunzana, Chalumna to Tyolomnqa, Gulu to Krulu, Beacon Bay to KuNodyilo and Macleantown to Mpongo. We would again like to repeat that we have no objection to name changes but object to wasteful expenditure. A name changing exercise would result in unnecessary expenditure in the following areas:

• Changing of road signage.
• A complete re-design of Municipal stationary.
• Changes likely to the Municipal billing system.
• Changes to Municipal building signage.
• Expenditure on public meetings in the public consultative process.

It is worth noting that the estimate to change the name of the smaller Nelspruit in Mpumalanga was estimated at R350m in 2012! See this article https://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/Name-change-to-cost-R350m-20150429

R350m could build up to 3500 RDP houses! (Based on average cost/RDP house in 2015)

For Buffalo City Municipality to embark upon the exercise is irresponsible. Name changing will not help the already desperately poor who need food, housing and education. THE PROCESS IS ALSO FLAWED IN THAT THE PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE HELD AT TIMES WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE UNABLE TO ATTEND.

Please sign our petition to stop the “name changing” exercise and ask friends, family, work colleagues, whoever you can think of, to do the same.