JIA name officially changed - apparently

[rasputyn]

Afternoon,

I was browsing wikipedia earlier and found this about Johannesburg International Airport:

On 30 June 2006, the Government Gazette of South Africa quietly announced that Johannesburg International Airport had been renamed to Oliver Tambo International Airport.

There is also a link to an article in Die Burger.

I can't find the actual gazette mentioning the change, perhaps those who know where to find it can point me in the right direction??

Another couple of million being spent on changing a places name. Does anybody know what the associated cost of this is?

If this has been posted before, plase forgive me, I searched and couldn't find anything!

 

[hj2k_x]

Why rename something as neutral as Johannesburg Internatiomnal Airport?!

What a waste of time.

 

[Highflyer_GP]

I thought that they agreed NOT to rename airports after politicians. WTF!

 

[ignacio]

Why rename something as neutral as Johannesburg Internatiomnal Airport?!

What a waste of time.

Maybe it is the name "Johannes"? I am surprised the city has survived the name purge thus far.

 

[RichardP]

its not renamed yet .. there is a 30 day window period for the public to submit their views....

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[hj2k_x]

If they even try to rename Cape Town, then they are going to see what complaints are!

 

[bwana]

I can't find the actual gazette mentioning the change, perhaps those who know where to find it can point me in the right direction??

Me neither - keep in mind just because its in Wikipedia it doesnt mean its factual.

 

[lilDeath]

LOL @ the topic discussion
Good stuff keep it up.
Quite ridiculous actually, the name change : "Yes, I am flying through Oliver Tambo today, en route to Heathrow"
Instead of crying I am laughing

 

[Right Click]

Maybe they reckon that if they change the airports name then all the k*k that's occured there i.e. heists,stealing from passengers luggage etc will go away.

 

[rasputyn]

Me neither - keep in mind just because its in Wikipedia it doesnt mean its factual.

Thats what I thought, but there's Die Burger article aswell.

 

[mapstar]

Why are we striving for neutrality in a black country? It's not like South Africa is split across the middle in terms of its population make up between blacks and whites. So let blacks honour their heroes! You don't really have a say. I think that's one of the illusions the apartheid legacy has left behind. Just accept reality

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Sorry but most developed countries have "neutral" airports - except J.f.K airport. An airport name is supposed to represent where it is - i.e. London - Heathrow; CT International Airport. I mean wtf does Oliver Thambo Airport represent as a location for a tourist? Just like Jan Smuts Airport in the old days.

 

[telkomsuig]

all this gvt seem to be able to organise is name changes. I say let their be a cut off date to chnage all names in one go. Let every one who has a problem with a street name or place submit it to a comittee to be changed.

 

[icyrus]

Why are we striving for neutrality in a black country? It's not like South Africa is split across the middle in terms of its population make up between blacks and whites. So let blacks honour their heroes! You don't really have a say. I think that's one of the illusions the apartheid legacy has left behind. Just accept reality

Brilliant sentiment...

 

[mapstar]

Please, don't and act like you're being neutral. And I know plenty of international airports which have been named after great people in those respective countries. You look at the United States alone and you'll know - this is provided you've travelled a bit. All the govt can do is rename things? That's quite a broad statement - must have taken you a long time to articulate that - well done! The sooner South Africa becomes more African, the better I think.

 

[icyrus]

Please, don't and act like you're being neutral. And I know plenty of international airports which have been named after great people in those respective countries. You look at the United States alone and you'll know - this is provided you've travelled a bit. All the govt can do is rename things? That's quite a broad statement - must have taken you a long time to articulate that - well done! The sooner South Africa becomes more African, the better I think.

What is African?

 

[Waron]

We want to become a beacon on the african continent, sitting at the head of the african union. So I can see why SA would want to change the name of the capital city and top international airport. I hope it is for these reasons, if so then so be it, if not well... it will probably go ahead anyway.

 

[hj2k_x]

The sooner South Africa becomes more African, the better I think.

So go backwards rather than forwards you mean?

 

[rasputyn]

Listen chaps, I didn't ask for this to become yet ANOTHER slaging match...All I wanted to know was if anybody could find the gazette reference and IF anybody knows or could estimate the cost associated with such a change, in terms of signage, changing map/tourist books, changing IATA and ICOA codes, airlines changing systems; literature etc.

I'm sure that the indirect costs which will have to be borne by people other than the South African taxpayers are very high.

 

[Gunny]

Why are we striving for neutrality in a black country? It's not like South Africa is split across the middle in terms of its population make up between blacks and whites. So let blacks honour their heroes! You don't really have a say. I think that's one of the illusions the apartheid legacy has left behind. Just accept reality

Firstly this country has ppl of other races that have been born and raised here and consider SA their home to. This is swinging from white to black and the rest stuck in the centre. Apparently after 10 odd years there is still no forgiveness. The country is not moving forward because the current government has a scapegoat called aparthied even though it fell over a decade ago it still gets blamed for the current state of the nation, when the government wake up and do something about the current backward trend in the country we will have something to look forward to. Changing the name of an Airport does nothing to forward the future of this country. They have had 10 years to turn SA around and so far the most hyped things have been name changes the gautrain and the world cup.