Johannesburg Renames William Nicol Drive

The City of Johannesburg is set to rename William Nicol drive as Winnie Madikizela Mandela drive. In a notice published on social media mid-week. The city says the proposed re-naming is in terms of its approved policy on the naming of streets and other public places.

It further called for observations from the public, interested and concerned persons. William Nicol Drive was named after the Dutch-Reformed minister and Transvaal administrator at the time of its construction.

The Arts and Culture minister Nathi Mthethwa in February announced a number of name changes in the Eastern Cape listed for transformation purposes.

Madikizela-Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of late president Nelson Mandela.

The proposed name change has been over a year in progress, and City mayor Geoff Makhubo said the road would be renamed ‘in time’ following the public participation process and confirmation with Madikizela-Mandela’s family.

Mthethwa noted the transformation of the naming landscape in South Africa is ‘a critical component of the heritage landscape as a whole’.

“There was a need for the name changes as this is part of a government programme to transform South Africa’s heritage landscape. The names of places we live in reflect the identity and cultural heritage of the people of South Africa,” he said.

Earlier in the week, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality stated it will make a formal submission to Arts and Culture minister Nathi Mthethwa opposing Port Elizabeth’s name change to Gqeberha.

In a town hall meeting broadcast on Monday March 22, 2021, mayor Nqaba Bhanga said the submission would also object to Uitenhage’s name change to Kariega.

Mthethwa added that “The South African Geographical Names Act provides for objections within 30 days from members of the public in instances that they are not happy with the gazette name changes”