Hearings are currently being conducted for the proposed name changes for parts of the Nelson Mandela Bay Local Municipality. These will continue until 21 November, and will consider name changes for the city of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth International Airport and the town of Uitenhage.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (ECPGNC), the body in charge of the renaming process in the region, is said to have received applications for the proposed renaming. The body is conducting research into the meanings of the suggested names, and is facilitating meetings with local communities, faith organisations and other stakeholders.
“We are now in the stage of public hearings and advertisement of proposed names for public comment where details of reason for the proposed standardisation of each name will be presented,” ECPGNC spoksperson, Andile Nduna, said in a statement. “If a consensus on the new name has been reached amongst all relevant stakeholders, the Committee makes recommendations to the national South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) which examines the processes followed in coming to the conclusion that such a name should be standardised or accepted before [it] is gazetted for public comments, acceptance or rejection.”
As outlined by The Herald, the following name changes are considered to be the frontrunners:
Port Elizabeth International Airport:
– Sipho Hashe International Airport
– Nelson Mandela Bay Airport
– Raymond Mhlaba Airport
– David Stuurman International Airport
– The Khoi-San International Airport
– Nelson Mandela Airport
Port Elizabeth:
– Gqebera
– I-Bhayi
– Nelson Mandela City
Uitenhage:
– Tolofiyeni
– Garden Town
– Kariega
– Kamesh
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