{"id":1599,"date":"2020-09-04T09:53:11","date_gmt":"2020-09-04T07:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=431292"},"modified":"2020-09-04T09:53:11","modified_gmt":"2020-09-04T07:53:11","slug":"more-name-changes-planned-for-south-africa-including-streets-places-and-new-apartheid-theme-parks-for-statues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/2020\/09\/04\/more-name-changes-planned-for-south-africa-including-streets-places-and-new-apartheid-theme-parks-for-statues\/","title":{"rendered":"More name changes planned for South Africa \u2013 including streets, places and new \u2018apartheid theme parks\u2019 for statues"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Arts and Culture minister Nathi Mthethwa says that the government will look at removing statues linked to apartheid and colonialism, and could transfer them to a \u2018theme park\u2019 to be viewed as part of the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

In a parliamentary presentation on Thursday (3 September), Mthethwa said that a governmental cluster had recommended an audit of offensive names, symbols and structures in the country as well as the development of a framework for the relocation of these statues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cluster advocated for the development of a theme park or theme parks which will be cultural spaces hosting the relocated statues or memorials. The \u2018theme\u2019 for the theme parks will be for the protagonists of colonialism and apartheid,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mthethwa said that these statutes should be moved in a prescribed manner and that their preservation was protected under current legislation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have decided that they should be preserved and not thrown into \u2018the dustbin\u2019 of history. Our own experience shows us that if you opt for the route of dumping them, people are going to demand them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The minister said that these theme parks would be erected in the name of posterity and were effectively be in line with the adage \u2018lest we forget\u2019.<\/p>\n

Name changes <\/strong><\/p>\n

Mthethwa said that the government also plans to make a number of changes to the names of places, streets and public spaces so that the country\u2019s geographic landscape is more representative of its people.<\/p>\n

Despite a number of changes made over the past two decades, Mthethwa said that the country\u2019s black majority is still a cultural minority as apartheid and colonial symbols still dominate the landscape.<\/p>\n

Mthethwa said that these changes will be subject to a public participation process, which while \u2018painstakingly slow\u2019, have to be completed to avoid legal challenges.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/span><\/p>\n

Mthethwa\u2019s comments come after the Eastern Cape government said it is considering an official name change for several towns in the province.<\/p>\n

The major metropolitan of East London has been identified as one of the towns which could see a change, with KuGompo<\/strong> provided as an alternate name.<\/p>\n

Other proposed changes include:<\/p>\n