City of Cape Town establishes new Naming committee

The City of Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor, Alderman Eddie Andrews, has been elected as the chairperson of the City’s Naming Committee.

The City of Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews, has been elected as the chairperson of the City’s Naming Committee.

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The newly established committee kicked off with its inaugural meeting last week.

The purpose of the Naming Committee is to consider and make recommendations related to the naming and renaming of council owned streets, buildings, public open spaces, and so forth.

This includes addressing existing names that may be deemed offensive, or inappropriate as determined by the City’s Naming Policy.

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Alderman Andrews addressed the City of Cape Town Naming Committee at its inaugural meeting where he expressed his excitement about the responsibility the committee has and the journey it will undertake to build social cohesion and inclusivity, when it considers naming applications, or applications for renaming.

‘HELP SHAPE THE NARRATIVE OF CAPE TOWN’

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‘As the elected Chairperson for the City’s Naming Committee, I look forward to working with all of the members to strategically utilise the opportunity we have to help shape the narrative of Cape Town, and building a City of Hope, where all feel welcome, and included. At our inaugural meeting today, we reflected on what should form the basis of our strategic intent and considered the importance of names and how it can be a source of pride for us, as well as how names provide us with a sense of identity and belonging. As a Naming Committee, I would like all members to consider these aspects when we deliberate on applications for names or renaming of existing names, and chair public participatory engagements around these.

‘I am mindful that the task before this committee is both complex and stimulating. Complex because we have to factor in South Africa’s oppressive past, and stimulating because we have an opportunity to use names and language to enhance our cultural and heritage diversity. We are committed to building a foundation of trust with residents, communities, and interest groups, and to be consistent in applying the underlying principles when we consider proposals,’ said Alderman Andrews.

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