Free State name change in the consideration

Fulcrum29

Fulcrum29

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So this morning I heard on the radio that the Free State MEC Mathabo Leeto proposed to change Free State’s name to represent the demographics (and critically the Sotho language). According to the radio debate, the ANC do have a constitutional hurdle to pass in order to succeed with the name change.

https://www.afriforum.co.za/leave-free-state-free-afriforum/

AfriForum will fight for the retention of the Free State’s name. This is the response of the civil rights organisation, after Free State MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Mathabo Leeto, proposed that the Free State’s name be changed.

“Whether this proposal is opportunistic politicking or not, we will oppose it. Name changes are often placed on the agenda, especially before elections, as it’s clearly easier for Government to try and change names for political gain than to sustain roads, supply clean drinking water and safeguard residents,” CW Els, Provincial Coordinator for AfriForum in the Free State said.
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AfriForum is also opposing the proposed Harrismith name change.

“We will do everything possible to retain the name of the Free State, and we will approach it with the same boldness as our fight for the retention of the capital city, Pretoria’s name, which we have been fighting for the past five years.”

“We will launch a campaign to gain public support and will then submit a report to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to state our case.”
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I wish that I could post more on the radio debate they had on RSG this morning, however the above is the only I could get in relation to this matter...

What is your opinion?
 
I believe some names have to be changed. If there is still a town called Hendrik Verwoerd then change it.

But Harrismith, or Free State I simply don't understand considering the more pressing issues that money can be used for.
 
It has been changed before from Orange ......
 
Fulcrum29 said:
So this morning I heard on the radio that the Free State MEC Mathabo Leeto proposed to change Free State’s name to represent the demographics (and critically the Sotho language). According to the radio debate, the ANC do have a constitutional hurdle to pass in order to succeed with the name change.

https://www.afriforum.co.za/leave-free-state-free-afriforum/



I wish that I could post more on the radio debate they had on RSG this morning, however the above is the only I could get in relation to this matter...

What is your opinion?
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They should just give it two names, like KwaZulu/Natal. That way they can respect history and represent the demographics.
 
konfab said:
They should just give it two names, like KwaZulu/Natal. That way they can respect history and represent the demographics.
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According to the debate the people in the Free State have to be in consensus to change a province name, this would probably be a vote by the people. To put it simple, the name cannot be changed by the governance which would be an easy task since Sotho accounts to plus 60% in the Free State. Basically it comes down to what the people wants...
 
Fulcrum29 said:
So this morning I heard on the radio that the Free State MEC Mathabo Leeto proposed to change Free State’s name to represent the demographics (and critically the Sotho language). According to the radio debate, the ANC do have a constitutional hurdle to pass in order to succeed with the name change.
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Was that ever a problem for the mad ANC dogs in rule with our own non constitution? Even our constitutional court can be biased and constitutions can be changed at will by our LAW as we have seen already.
 
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These name changes are useless. It costs a lot of money to do so. Why not use the money on all these unnecessary name changes and try to do something for the poor.
 
Seriously said:
Was that ever a problem for the mad ANC dogs in rule with our own non constitution? Even our constitutional court can be biased and constitutions can be changed at will by our LAW as we have seen alreay.
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I generally don't have a problem in cases like these, they simply want the province to represent its demographics, which is a choice the citizens in that province has to make. However, when the ANC do succeed in the Free State, the Northern Cape will be next, then the Eastern Cape. Snowballing people's position on this matter can up vote the ANC.
 
The name is a purely historical one with its origins dating back to the first colonies. The Orange actually referred to a Dutch monarch.
Of all the names they can change - this is the one we can actually agree is a redundant one.
But the costs involved doesn't make it worth the bother.
 
Ridolfc said:
These name changes are useless. It costs a lot of money to do so. Why not use the money on all these unnecessary name changes and try to do something for the poor.
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The real answer to this will upset many, and that is that Africans in South Africa are actually very Nationalist minded themselves, the flavour of Nationalism is just slightly different to Western Nationalism. And it is not a stamp from the Afrikaner Nationalists, in fact the Thomlinson commission did find that tribal-minded Africans have their own sense of identity and that integrationism would lead to a loss thereof. But of course the liberal anglophone world and anti-Afrikaner minded only wanted to see a Nazi behind every bush and projected their own desires onto South Africa and Africans and Afrikaners and conservative ESSAs.
 
Rather change North West. God help us if Kanye & Kim tour SA and they think we named a province after their little brat.
 
ambroseg1 said:
I believe some names have to be changed. If there is still a town called Hendrik Verwoerd then change it.

But Harrismith, or Free State I simply don't understand considering the more pressing issues that money can be used for.
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Yes, just like Johannesburg International Airport.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
According to the debate the people in the Free State have to be in consensus to change a province name, this would probably be a vote by the people. To put it simple, the name cannot be changed by the governance which would be an easy task since Sotho accounts to plus 60% in the Free State. Basically it comes down to what the people wants...
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80%+ of the people are impoverished and uneducated.
 
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