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The 2 FLAWS in the Name Change to Gqeberha

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In life one has to be a realist and move with the changing landscape – to trot out a tired saying; “Survival of the fittest”.

At present my fear is that TWO wrongs are NOT going to make ONE right.

The first perceived ‘wrong’ is that the citizens of ex-Port Elizabeth feel as though they were blindsided by the name changes. Yes, they have a right to feel so, just as the people who advocated for the name change have a right to feel vindicated/good about it.

Yes, the process does appear to be undemocratic as everyone does not feel that they had a say in it. The cold hard reality of the process is just that – it is a process that was approved of and put into place in terms of our democracy/constitution/law.

Yes, there is an appeal process. But that appeal process is highly unlikely to be successful as the person receiving the appeals is the person who was responsible for signing the name change off in the first place.

So, unless someone can prove that the name is offensive (as in it actually translates into a swear word or is a colourful word describing some private part/s), then we will need to accept that PE is now Gqeberha and that due process was followed.

The time to challenge due process was when the Name Change Act was promulgated and NOT now. If a name is changed in terms of the Act then it is accepted that due process was followed. OR, at the very least, we have a reasonable expectation that due process was followed.

Which brings me to the second perceived ‘wrong’: The political head of our Nelson Mandela Bay has without proper consultation with the citizens of this Metro decided to use the resources of the Municipality to encourage citizens to protest against the Name Change from Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha.

IF the political head of our Municipality ignores a referendum type vote and decides on his/her own to challenge something then he is setting him/herself up for some ‘interesting’ and ‘trying’ times ahead.

It is at times like these that we need to turn to the Serenity Prayer from Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) which states in it’s opening verse:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

To which I would add:

God grant me the serenity
to EMBRACE the need for a name change;
courage to capitalise on that in the best way I can;
and wisdom to show empathy and nation build with all.

Related – Voice your approval on the name change here: https://mygqeberha.com/gqeberha-name-change-approval/

Read other approval opinions here: https://mygqeberha.com/tag/namechange/

Press Release from the Nelson Mandela Bay Munici[ality: Complaint forms against name changes now available

Ward 7 Independent Councillor

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.