The City of Cape Town has rejected a proposal from UCT lecturer Dr Halim Gençoğlu to rename Palatine Road in Plumstead to Palestine Road.
This comes as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) confirms it will announce its ruling on the possible implementation of provisional emergency measures in Gaza while the World Court deliberates South Africa’s accusations of genocide against Israel on Friday.
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The City’s naming committee met on Tuesday, 23 January, to discuss Dr Gençoğlu’s proposal among a number of other naming submissions it had received.
According to News24, which had seen the lecturer’s motivation, Gençoğlu expressed that renaming the road in Plumstead to Palestine Road would be a symbolic and political gesture that both honours Palestine and the country’s deep-rooted support for the fight against oppression.
‘This can be seen as an expression of solidarity with the Palestinians and their struggle for self-determination and statehood. The country’s support for Palestine has a long and passionate history, rooted in South Africa’s own struggle for freedom and justice during the apartheid era,’ the publication quoted Gençoğlu’s motivation as arguing.
Additionally, Gençoğlu told the publication that not only would the renaming be a symbol of support to the Palestinian people, but would also benefit the community as a means to ‘decolonise a colonial name Palatine in the history of South Africa.’
The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines Palatine as ‘having local authority that elsewhere belongs only to a sovereign’.
The City, however, rejected the proposal, arguing that it would not strengthen community identity and may be ‘deemed to be offensive and cause hurt to certain sectors of the community.’
City’s deputy mayor and chairperson of the naming committee confirmed to News24 that ‘the naming committee rejected the proposal as it does not comply with the City’s naming policy.’
According to Section 7.4 of the City’s naming policy, ‘no submission may be offensive, insensitive or hurtful’.
Addressing the members of the newly established naming committee after being elected as chairperson in May last year, Andrews emphasised using the importance of names as a source of pride and sense of identity and belonging as the basis of the committee’s strategic intent.
‘I am mindful that the task before this committee is both complex and stimulating. Complex because we have to factor in South Africa’s oppressive past, and stimulating because we have an opportunity to use names and language to enhance our cultural and heritage diversity,’ he said.
South Africa has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian liberation struggle, with Nelson Mandela famously saying, ‘But we know all too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians’ after winning the first democratic election in 1994.
In response to the City’s rejection, Gençoğlu told News24: ‘This is a political decision, and we know what position they have taken. I am not sure if they are being honest about the reason behind it.’
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Picture: Ald Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor & MMC: Spatial Planning and Environment / Facebook