By Tabisa Mntengwana
25 March 2009

MDANTSANE’S residents have finally chosen the names that they think reflect the identity of their township and its neighbourhoods.

Names were submitted in a name-change competition run by the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme (MURP). There were three categories - naming higher order roads, naming neighbourhoods and a children’s colouring competition for learners between the ages of nine and 12.

Names that came up included those of well-known Mdantsane business people, struggle stalwarts and boxing icons. The changes were necessary to get rid of the offensive NU name and to introduce a new street-naming system.

The 18 NUs, or Native Units, will also be grouped into six neighbourhood units, which will then be given the new names.

“This will help emergency services, businesses and the general public to locate addresses more easily,” said the MURP portfolio head, Luntu Bobo.

The first phase of the project was the competition for the community to propose names for the six neighbourhoods and 25 higher order roads. “The first phase was successful and most of the names selected do reflect the township’s identity,” said Bobo.

Proposed street and neighbourhood names were announced at a prize-giving ceremony at the Mdantsane City Mall on Saturday, 21 March. The ceremony kicked off with activities including spot prizes and performances by dance groups and local musicians.

Bobo welcomed people and gave an overview of Mdantsane and the competition.

“During the 1970s thousands of families were moved from the East and West bank areas and were settled in Mdantsane by the East London city council with an aim to create a fully fledged town. But that never happened.”

Winners of the colouring competition were 12-year-old Yolande Ntshana in the street naming category and Monde Ntsebe in the neighbourhood naming category. Lihle Msauli won the eight- to nine-year-old colouring competition and Awongile Maseti won the 10- to 11-year-old competition.

Speaking on behalf of the Mdantsane City Mall’s marketing manager, Heather Kersten, said, “We are very grateful to have been involved in a historical event such as this one.”

Dignitaries present at the prize giving included Similo Grootbom, from Eastern Cape heritage, arts and culture; the Duncan Village Redevelopment Initiative programme manager, Andile Mshumpela; the MURP programme manager, Mamoeketsi Khetsi-Magida; and the chairman of the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee, Fumanekile Dyubhele.

The second phase of the project involves community consultations and discussions to comment on and make additions to the chosen names. According to the MURP, the names chosen on Saturday are not definite; they will be discussed during the community consultations.

Winners received gift vouchers for the mall of R5 000 and colouring competition winners received vouchers of R500.