CITY OF CAPE TOWN ISIXEKO SASEKAPA STAD KAAPSTAD AMMENDED POLICY FOR RENAMING STREETS, PUBLIC PLACES, NATURAL AREAS and COUNCIL-OWNED BUILDINGS, FACILITIES and ARTEFACTS First approved by Council 24 April 2003 Amended 24 June 2004 Second amendment approved by Council 30 August 2005 1
1. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION 1.1. BACKGROUND Cape Town belongs to all its citizens. Most of the names currently in existence do not reflect our rich and diverse heritage, and renaming will help to highlight the existence of our multicultural society. It is inadvisable for the City of Cape Town to consider an application for renaming any of its streets, naming or renaming its public places, natural areas and Council-owned buildings, facilities or artifacts without an accepted policy and process. At its meeting of 30 May, 2001, Council agreed to the following resolutions of its Executive Committee: The relevant Portfolio Committee which should include experts (i.e. experts in the field of history, culture and linguistics) be given the brief of formulating a policy on the Renaming of Streets, and that it should further be authorized to investigate and make recommendations to Council s Executive Committee on the question of streets, buildings, public places, and other public entities or institutions whose current names may cause offense. 1.2. THE IMPORTANCE OF NAMES 1.2.1. Names are essential locational tools and navigational aids for a predictable, manageable and orderly environment and create a sense of place ; 1.2.2. Names are the beginnings and ends of journeys or destinations; 1.2.3. Names are place markers and focal points through symbolism, association and remembrance; 1.2.4. Names have powerful positive or negative meanings for people and provide opportunities to promote community harmony or perpetuate hurt and division. 1.3. POLICY OBJECTIVES The objectives of this policy are as follows: 1.3.1. to ensure an inclusive, consultative clear process that enjoys public and political support and which will stand the test of time, and which can be followed when a proposal for a name change is received; 1.3.2. to ensure that a transparent and community-driven process is undertaken when a name change is proposed; 1.3.3. to replace controversial and offensive names; 2
1.3.4. to guide renaming of public streets and Council-owned features which have names that are in conflict with the rules of the Policy on Street Naming and Numbering (13 May 2002). 2. POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 2.1. CATEGORIES OF NAMES THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED 2.1.1. Offensive or insensitive names 2.1.2. Names that are cumbersome in the sense that the name may be construed as unintelligible in the spoken or written form, and physically in the sense that the length of the name may be considered impractical on a street sign; 2.1.3. Linguistically corrupted or modified names; 2.1.4. Similar sounding names should be avoided within a 5km radius (eg. Names like Beach Avenue and Peach Avenue, or Apple Hill Road and Apple Road); 2.1.5. Names that could be construed as commercial advertising; 2.1.6. Names of living persons. 2.2. GUIDELINES FOR NAME SELECTION 2.2.1. In addition to considerations of sensitivity and offensiveness, the renaming of a specific street, public place, natural area and Council-owned building, facility or artifact may be considered when duplication of the name occurs within the City of Cape Town and/or when renaming would generally improve the City s administration of essential services. 2.2.2. There shall preferably be no duplication of a name within the metropolitan area or within 5 km, where the name does not refer to the same street; 2.2.3. Consideration should be given to names of local area or historic significance. 2.2.4. Proposed names should meet one of the following: a) honour and commemorate noteworthy persons associated with the City of Cape Town; b) commemorate local, national or international history, places, events, memories or culture or relevance to the people of Cape Town; c) strengthen community identity; d) recognize indigenous and international flora, fauna or natural features relevant to the City of Cape Town; e) promote improved place orientation and recognition; 3
f) recognize the cultural diversity of Cape Town. 3. PANEL OF EXPERTS A panel of experts who can make specific recommendations on renaming proposals that have been submitted for consideration should be convened: 3.1.1. In order to assist and advise the Council in taking decisions on naming and renaming, a Panel of Experts shall be established. 3.1.2. The Panel shall consist of a pool of 15 members, selected by public nominations received through a process of advertising. 3.1.3. Care should be taken to ensure that the panel is representative of the demographic and cultural composition of the City of Cape Town. 3.1.4. Nomination shall include the agreement or permission of the nominee, full particulars of the nominee (including contact details), relevant experience and qualifications and full motivation by nominator/s. 3.1.5. Expertise and/or experience and/or qualifications in two or more of the following must be detailed in the nomination: history, culture, linguistics, town planning, onomastics, toponomy, reconciliation, religion, (cf. qualifications sought by provincial and national initiatives). 3.1.6. The Panel shall meet at the direction of the relevant Director. 3.1.7. The Panel shall hold office for the term of the Council. 3.1.8. The Panel of Expert members shall be remunerated for their traveling costs to meetings to consider proposed name changes at a fixed fee of R500 per meeting attended to a maximum of 6 meetings per year. 4. PROCESS BY WHICH RENAMING CAN TAKE PLACE 4.1. CONDITIONS FOR SUBMITTING RENAMING PROPOSALS 4.1.1. Each year Council will advertise a window period during which submissions can be made. In a renaming proposed for a previously disadvantaged community, advertising should be augmented by the use of community newspapers and by placing notices in public facilities, e.g. libraries, subcouncil offices, etc. 4.1.2. Any person, community or organization within the boundaries of the City of Cape Town shall be entitled to propose the renaming of a street or the naming or renaming of a public place, council-owned building, facility or artifact in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy. 4.1.3. Proposals shall be in writing and shall include full details of the affected street, public place, council-owned building, facility or artifact as well as the 4
proposer, proposed name change and fully motivated reasons which shall include research references and evidence of professional or community support. Where the Panel of Experts is advised in advance that it is difficult for a written submission to be made due to illiteracy or other circumstances, it may use its discretion to entertain oral submissions according to the rules for public hearings. 4.1.4. Proposals may include the results of referenda or similar consultation within communities by way of evidence of support or opposition but shall not be considered as a defining criterion by the panel of experts. 4.1.5. Applications will be assessed by the panel of experts on an annual basis after the close of the window period each year. 4.1.6. No late submissions or emergency proposals will be considered outside of the window period. 4.2. ASSESSMENT OF RENAMING PROPOSALS 4.2.1. Proposals will be received and processed by the relevant Department strictly according to advertised procedures. 4.2.2. The relevant department will scrutinize the proposals for compliance with the policy considerations contained in this policy. Renaming proposals that do not contain all the requisite information will be returned to the proposer with a request for the missing information. 4.2.3. A report containing all names received with a summary of relevant information will be prepared for submission to the Panel of Experts. The report will be submitted to Panel members at least 14 days prior to a scheduled meeting. 4.2.4. Proposals will be considered by the Panel of Experts who will meet at maximum 6 (six) times during a year and then make recommendations to Council. 4.2.5. The recommended name changes arising out of the Panel deliberations will be advertised and interested and affected parties will be given 4 weeks within which to submit comments. 4.2.6. Renaming proposals received will be scrutinized by the Panel of Experts to ensure that they comply with the provisions of this policy. Then the submissions will be advertised to obtain public comment. 4.2.7. Comments received on the renaming proposals will be considered by the Panel of Experts who will then make a recommendation to Council. 4.2.8. The renaming proposal/s, if still supported by the Panel of Experts, will be submitted to the full Council via the Mayoral Committee or the relevant delegated authority. 5
4.2.9. The full Council of the City of Cape Town will take the final decision on whether to accept the implementation of the proposed renaming. 4.2.10. Administrative errors and/or incorrect spelling of names may be rectified without going through the process contained in this policy. AVAILIBILITY OF INFORMATION IN OTHER LANGUAGES The information contained in this document is also available in Xhosa and Afrikaans on request. Die inligting in hierdie document is ook op aanvraag in Xhosa en Afrikaans beskikbaar. UlwazioluPhangaleleyo, ngalencwadi Luyafumaneka ngesixhosa, Isingesi, Nangesibhulu. OFFICE ADDRESS 14th Floor Civic Centre 12 Hertzog Blvd Cape Town POSTAL TEL FAX E-MAIL PO Box 4529 Cape Town 8000 (021) 400-5340 (021) 421-1963 Cheryl.Walters@capetown.gov. za 6