A South African town is split over its name change from the colonial-era Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe, a decision that has ignited racial tensions. Petitions have been signed, rival marches held, and a formal letter of complaint sent to the sports, arts, and culture minister, Gayton McKenzie, who approved the name change on 6 February, according to The Guardian.

Historical Context and Resistance

Residents of Graaff-Reinet, a town with a population of about 51,000, have expressed strong feelings about the name change. Many feel a deep attachment to the town, despite its origins being named after Cornelis Jacob van de Graaff, the Dutch governor of the Cape Colony, and his wife, Hester Cornelia Reynet, when the town was founded in 1786. Some residents argue that the name has become an integral part of their identity, even though it reflects colonial history.

Opponents of the name change, including 92.9% of Coloured people and 98.5% of white residents, argue that changing the name would erase part of their identity as ‘Graaff-Reinetters.’ A survey conducted in December 2023 found that 83.6% of the town’s residents opposed the name change, with 54% of respondents identifying as Coloured, 27.2% as Black, and 18.8% as white.

Laughton Hoffman, a Coloured man and advocate for youth development, expressed concern that the name change could harm tourism in the town. He noted that the town’s center is filled with elegant, whitewashed Cape Dutch buildings, which have become a draw for visitors. Hoffman, who wears a bright pink ‘Hands Off Graaff-Reinet’ T-shirt, argued that the name had become a benefit for the people and the economy of the town, despite its colonial origins.

Renaming as a Symbol of Transformation

Supporters of the name change, including a third of Black residents, argue that renaming the town after Robert Sobukwe is a necessary part of South Africa’s transformation away from colonialism and white-minority rule. Sobukwe was born and buried in Graaff-Reinet, and he was a key figure in the anti-apartheid struggle.

Sobukwe left the African National Congress (ANC) in 1959 to form the Pan Africanist Congress, due to disagreements over the ANC allowing white members. On 21 March 1960, Sobukwe led protests against laws requiring Black people to carry pass books. Police opened fire on a march, killing 69 people in what became known as the Sharpeville massacre.

According to an official database, between 2000 and 2024, more than 1,500 placenames were changed in South Africa, including more than 400 post offices, 144 rivers, and seven airports. The city of Port Elizabeth became Gqeberha in 2021.

The department of sports, arts, and culture stated that the mission of the name change is to redress, correct, and transform the geographical naming system to advance restorative justice, including addressing the colonial and apartheid-era naming legacy.

Racial Divisions and Legal Disputes

The name change has also highlighted racial divisions in the town. Coloured residents, who were historically marginalized under apartheid, have expressed resentment toward the ANC-led government, which they feel has not adequately addressed their concerns. Coloured researchers attribute this resentment to the animosity between Coloured and Black communities encouraged by apartheid, where Coloured people were allowed slightly better houses and jobs, forcing them to distance themselves from Black people to access those benefits.

Derek Light, a white lawyer who wrote a complaint letter demanding that the culture minister reverse the decision, argued that the public consultation on the name change did not follow legal procedure. He described the process as a ‘faux process’ and lamented the tensions the name change has caused in the town. ‘We were living in peace and harmony,’ he said. ‘It’s not without fault; we also have poverty and unemployment and things like that. But we don’t have racial issues amongst our people.’

However, Black members of the Robert Sobukwe Steering Committee, a group supporting the name change, rejected this. ‘We have always had racial problems,’ said Athe Singeni. ‘It was very subtle.’ Her mother, Nomandla, said they would not be deterred, even after Sobukwe’s grave was vandalized by unknown people earlier this month. ‘We as Black people, we have a history that has been erased,’ she said. ‘We’ve got leaders who contributed and laid down their lives for the freedom that we enjoy today. It is time to honour them.’

In uMasizakhe, a former Black township, a group enjoying home-brewed alcohol expressed support for the name change. ‘I’m happy to change this name, Graaff-Reinet,’ said Mzoxolo Nkhomo, a 59-year-old jobseeker. ‘Because Sobukwe is our fighter. Sobukwe made us free.’

Meanwhile, the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Museum and Learning Centre remained shuttered, with a statue of the politician covered up. It had never been officially opened due to family disagreements, said his grandson Mangaliso Tsepo Sobukwe. ‘Placename changes had been instrumentalised by politicians,’ he said. ‘It is interesting that the ANC would be seen championing the honouring of Sobukwe, because they … [have been] suppressing his legacy.’

Sobukwe expected the backlash to the renaming, but added: ‘Going forward, I’m happy that my grandfather’s been honoured, more than anything else.’