JIA name officially changed - apparently

Should government steer clear of all political names when renaming national assets?

  • Yes

    Votes: 72 90.0%

  • No

    Votes: 5 6.3%

  • Not sure

    Votes: 3 3.8%
  • Total voters
    80
O R Tambo, like Walter Sisulu, were freedom fighters, and even refused to be part of Government, Sisulu even refused to accept a special pension from Government - these men are heroes - and you don't have to idolise them to think of their greatness

I have yet to see who in Government made that statement and whether it came from this govt or the previous govt.

in any case, would you have the same outcry, if theysaid the name must be reverted to Jan Smuts Airport
 
xtermin8or said:
in any case, would you have the same outcry, if theysaid the name must be reverted to Jan Smuts Airport
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As somebody who's politically neutral, yes I would. The bottom line is that they went back on their word to keep the names of airports neutral.
 
once again if someone can tell me who made that policy decision, I would be really grateful
 
xtermin8or said:
once again if someone can tell me who made that policy decision, I would be really grateful
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The Freedom Front Plus has urged interested parties to submit objections to the name change to the minister, saying it was previously agreed that the names of politicians would not be used when names of airports are changed.

"By deviating from this agreement, the government is sending a negative message to South Africans, which would lead to further polarisation and alienation," Corne Mulder, the party's arts and culture spokesperson said.
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It was known as Jan Smuts Airport until 1994, when it was changed to Johannesburg International airport to reflect the then government's decision to have neutral names for the country's airports.
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Can't find the exact policy or agreement, if you would like to see it then contact the Department of Arts & Culture (good luck with that). But there are several more articles with similar quotes.
 
mmm... I've said it before, they are naming the airport after someone who already has a massive municipality named after him.......

Jan Smuts opposed apartheid, can't seem to understand why they changed the name in the first place....

Ah well, the road signs around here still says Verwoerdburg in stead of Centurion, so whou knows, maybe I'll never even see an "OR Tambo" airport... :p

xtermin8or said:
in addition - the naming of buildings, building of memorials and statues etc. are in the main as a tribute to the person, it is honouring the person - yes, people will remember Mandela, Sisulu, Tambo, Smuts, Chris Barnard and all the others, good and bad, but we must honour them
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x, you seem to know more about the anc than most of us, why do they not name things after Steve Biko, AFAIK he was not part of the anc, but was in proccess to join forces before the unfortunate incident.
Or is there something named after him which I am unaware of?
 
@ sludge

the Biko home in King Williams Town was turned into the Steve Biko Monument, some time back, and there is also the annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture, now famous for Archbishop Tutu's statements, but other leaders have also had memorials for them, the Solomon Mahlangu square in Mamelodi, Peter Mokaba Stadium, Chris Hani Baragwanath. And while it is not for me to say which leader played a more or less significant role in the struggle, they should all be honoured, and people like Oliver Tambo, Albert Luthuli, Walter Sisulu, Joe Slovo, and others deserve the recognition they are now beginning to receive

The names on the signboards on the Highways, have already started changing, so don't worry, you won't have to wait long until you see it
 
@ Highflyer, all I can find is some vague reference to some agreement made at some point after the 1994 elections, too vague to be policy, also it must be remembered that if this decision was taken with the 1994 cabinet, there have been two elections since, and for all intents and purposes three different govts. The govt that made the so called agreement - is not the same as the one now in power - therefore the need to set down decisions as written policy or legislation - or it just simply holds no water
 
xtermin8or said:
also it must be remembered that if this decision was taken with the 1994 cabinet, there have been two elections since, and for all intents and purposes three different govts.
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Interesting that you mention this. The same applies to any democratic government. Ours is a bit more complex though... Not exactly a new government...
 
I really don't see what the fuss is about with regards to name changes.

In fact I encourage it for one reason :
When everything has been renamed the youngsters growing up now will have less evidence of the racist past (not that the present is any less racist mind you).
In other words there will be less to remind people of the past and less political ammo to stir up racism and that is a good thing.

Who cares about the past - it's the future that really matters.
 
If they you care about the past, then why bother renaming everything?

The problem is that they spend millions doing renaming of places like JIA. or ORA..
 
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Ekhaatvensters said:
The problem is that they spend millions doing renaming of places like JIA. or ORA..
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That's my problem - the cost doesn't justify the means. Are we honestly giving them our hard earned money to constantly rename stuff? You wanna honour your hero? Build a statue, monument or whatever. Save millions of our tax money in the process and use it for building more lanes on the highways to ease the congestion in and out of the airport. Sooner or later the proverbial **** is going to hit the fan with all this renaming nonsense - even Mbeki has started speaking out about it. The past is the past, and no amount of renaming will eradicate it. Instead it should serve as a reminder as to what we have achieved.

In fact if this is the case, then I vote that Pallo Jordan should change his name too while he's at it because it's too white for a black man in this country :/
 
JIA was already re-named to the current "neutral" name. The new name change is just vague proof that these people are actually planning the future renaming of Jo'burg too...
Just think what will happen when Johannesburg gets re-named in a few months time - then people won't know where Johannesburg International Airport is :cool:
 
NoRulez said:
JIA was already re-named to the current "neutral" name.
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Why have a "neutral" name in an African country? We are proud of who we are and won't apologise for it. Every country honours its heroes and we will do the same.
 
Angelo said:
Why have a "neutral" name in an African country? We are proud of who we are and won't apologise for it. Every country honours its heroes and we will do the same.
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Unfortunately we took honour away from Jan Smuts.....
A man which this country should remember, every politician out there should aim to be like him!

@xterminator, thanks, did not know there was a Biko monument, IMO, more things should be named (not renamed) after him.
 
Africa is being ruined by senseless blacks and the senseless government.
 
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