The EFF Joburg region chairperson, Sepetlele Raseruthe, told The Star that it still maintains its support of the tabled motion to rename Sandton Drive after Palestinian heroine, Leila Khaled.
“Nothing changed from the EFF, we are still supporting the name change to Leila Khaled like we did with Winnie Mandela Drive,” said Raseruthe.
The EFF’s stance comes after the party entered a coalition with the ANC and Al Jama-ah, which garnered enough support from city council members for the City of Johannesburg’s proposal to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive.
The motion was approved by council members in 2018, and has thus far sparked debate among locals and officials.
The faction objecting to the pending proposal argued that it would put the diplomatic ties South Africa has with the US in jeopardy, as the superpower country declared Khaled a terrorist.
The US Consulate is also located in the same area.
However, Raseruthe denounced these concerns.
“We are not in the business to please the USA, hence, we want them to be reminded of Leila when entering Sandton. We are supporting the name of Leila Khaled,” he said.
The MMC for Community Development, Kabelo Gwamanda, denied claims that the metro is squandering government funds instead of prioritising service delivery.
“I want to dispel the misinformation that is being spread by certain interested parties and even politicians – that the budget for renaming will be redirected from critical service delivery initiatives. However, it is worth noting that this is in itself a legislative process and a function of the department in a form of service delivery,” said Gwamanda.
He highlighted that the city received a record-breaking number of submissions from residents.
“The overwhelming responses, both in support and opposition, highlight just how important this initiative is to many residents,” said Gwamanda.
While the deadline for local residents to submit their comments was thought to be on Tuesday, the Joburg municipality clarified that the closing date is October 18.
“Amidst many media reports, different closing dates were circulated for the close of the 28-day public participation period which was launched during September 2024. The city hereby confirms that the consultation period for residents and interested parties to provide their comments on the proposed renaming will close on Friday, October 18, at 4:30pm,” said the Joburg municipality.
Following Khaled’s political reputation against the oppression of Palestinian people, Gwamanda said she is an embodiment of women’s resistance against human rights violations.
He noted Sandton Drive is not the first to be renamed. “There have been various renaming of roads, facilities, and even built memorials to recognise notable figures,” said Gwamanda.
There have been mounting accusations that the metro excluded the public from consultations on the name-changing process.
The metro denied the allegations, noting it has adhered to Section 8 of the Naming of Streets and Public Places policy which emphasises the importance of public consultation.
“In keeping with good governance, the proposed renaming remains subject to public consultation, which has been taken by the city for comment to a wide range of media and public platforms.
“The consultation is being conducted as widely as possible to ensure that all stakeholders are afforded an opportunity to make inputs. All comments received will be collated and reported to a full sitting of council, where the proposed renaming can be considered and debated by political parties and elected public representatives, before taking a final decision,” said the Joburg municipality.
The public has until October 18 to submit comments to [email protected] to decide whether it rejects or approves the metro’s proposal.
The Star