Cape Town airport rename options
|Published
Photo: David Ritchie/ANA Pictures Photo: David Ritchie/ANA Pictures
The renaming of Cape Town International Airport is underway, with a public participation meeting set to be held next week.
The Transport Ministry confirmed that proposals had been received for the renaming of the airport - a national key point - after four struggle icons, namely Nelson Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela or Robert Sobukwe.
Other names would also be considered, it said.
The Airports Company of SA (Acsa), in an official notice, said a public participation meeting would be held at the airport at 6pm on Monday.
The notice is in line with the SA Geographical Names Council Act of 1998.
“Acsa Cape Town International will be undergoing a name change as part of the Transformation of Heritage Landscape government programme,” the notice read.
However, not everyone supports the renaming.
Janine Myburgh, President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce, said there were more pressing issues than renaming the airport, reports the Cape Argus.
“Cape Town Airport is a politically neutral name that enjoys worldwide acceptance. It is an established brand and we should build on it rather than start all over again with a new name,” she said.
Philip Bam, secretary of the Greater Cape Civic Alliance, said the names of Western Cape residents should also be thrown into the hat.
“There are people who fought in the liberation Struggle without holding an AK47. There are many icons in the education and academic fields,” he said.
“We should not only allow people from certain political backgrounds to be recognised in public spaces. Careful consideration should be given to this.”