Johannesburg's policy for naming and renaming streets has been revised and the City is calling for comments.

The City is calling for comment on its policy to rename streets and other public places

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HE City is calling on residents to submit their comments on the revised policy on the naming and renaming of streets and other public places in the City of Johannesburg.

Citizens can send written objections or comments on the amendments to the revised policy to the Office of the Executive Director: Development Planning and Urban Management by Wednesday, 5 December.

Written submissions can be marked for the attention of Moses Metileni and faxed to 011 339 1118, emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or posted to: PO Box 1049, Johannesburg 2001. Alternatively they can be dropped in on the 10th Floor, Executive Suite, A Block at the Metro Centre.

Residents who cannot read or write may visit the above office during office hours, where an official will record in writing such person's comments.

Metileni, an urban planner in the development planning and urban management department, says the draft policy went through the mayoral committee in August this year.

"We are now at the public consultation level. We have placed copies of the draft policy in people's centres, on the City's website and we are currently holding workshops in all city regions with ward councillors. In Region D in particular we are running a parallel process to conscientise people on the ongoing initiative to change street names in Soweto. We have already done road shows and radio interviews in the region."

After the public consultation level, Metileni says a committee consisting of representatives of municipal-owned entities, like the Johannesburg Roads Agency, will "synthesise" the various comments submitted. A final draft will then be presented to the mayoral committee and if approved will become the new policy, according to Metileni.

Adopted in 2001 and revised in 2004, this second revision of the policy seeks to regulate and standardise the processes involved in the naming and renaming of streets, parks and municipal buildings. It also seeks to inform and influence the types of names that are chosen for various features as well as to spell out the naming and renaming procedures that should be followed.

The policy covers three areas – the naming of unnamed features, the renaming of currently named features and naming as part of township establishment.

In the second revision, comprehensive principles that have to be adhered to in the naming and renaming process have been introduced. Two sections have been added – street naming as part of township establishment and the naming and renaming of private streets.

Place making
According to the revised policy, the City recognises the naming and renaming of streets and other public places as being an integral part of place making. This includes the creation of places that people can relate to and in which they can take pride.

"Naming is also an important element of service delivery as it promotes legibility and facilitates the effective delivery of services such as policing, emergency services and billing for services consumed," the policy states.

The City has jurisdiction over the naming of features such as streets, municipal buildings, squares, parks and cemeteries that are under its control. But the policy also guides the naming of private features such as streets and buildings.

The naming of suburbs, highways, railway stations and government dams is the responsibility of the national government, and they are not included in the policy.

Certain criteria have to be followed when naming and renaming streets, public open spaces and public buildings and the decision to name or rename must first go through the council.

Famous names
Proposed names should be under themes, like flora and fauna. Only in exceptional cases should people's names be used, and submissions or petitions to name something after a person must be motivated, indicating why that specific person is worthy of the honour. A detailed profile of the person should also be included.

In the rare instances that features are named after a person, the full name and surname must be used; for example, it must be Joe Slovo Drive and not Joe Drive or Slovo Drive.

For religious and cultural reasons, cemeteries cannot be named after people but can be named for the geographical areas in which they are located.

The policy lists criteria for the identification and allocation of names, including the stipulation that names cannot be duplicated and that there cannot be any confusingly similar names; there also cannot be names of which the spelling or pronunciation may cause confusion because of a correlation with existing names. Names of well-known places in other countries and the names of other countries should be avoided.

Features cannot be named after people who are still alive, although there are exceptional cases, like Miriam Makeba and Noria Mabasa streets in Newtown. These streets were named after Mayoral Committee decisions were taken.

Renaming
Renaming features needs strong motivation – names can be changed if the existing name is considered offensive, historically irrelevant or where the name change "is desirable to promote the goodwill of people now living in the new South Africa", reads the policy.

Examples are Hendrik Verwoerd and Hans Strijdom drives in Randburg. These were recently renamed Bram Fischer and Malibongwe drives, respectively. According to the City, renaming the streets was motivated by a drive to revitalise the area.

Any ideas, proposals or requests to rename features should be submitted to the office of the executive director in the development planning and urban management unit and should include the proposed name and the reasons for the name change.

The executive director and the City's naming/renaming committee may then submit a report to the council for a decision. If the council decides to go ahead with the renaming, the executive director will inform the ward councillor or councillors of that particular area to begin public participation.

If the features that are being renamed are local roads or facilities, the executive director and the ward councillor will discuss the issue. Public notices will be placed on site and at prominent and strategic places, such as at schools, clinics and libraries, calling for public comment.

In some instances, meetings with residents and other relevant stakeholders will be held. Once the public and the ward councillor have given their views, a report will be submitted to the mayoral committee for approval. Once the new name is approved, the responsible authority will put up notices on site and in public places.

Unnamed features
Naming unnamed features follows almost the same procedure. But it must be undertaken as part of a township development or establishment and for public open spaces and other facilities as part of their initial development.

Not all the streets in Johannesburg are public streets; some, especially in housing estates, are private property. The City does not have the authority to name or rename these private streets, but sees the need for some regulation. The policy recommends that the owner of a private street who wants to name or rename it make a submission to the executive director in the development planning and urban management unit. The submission should include:

• Proof of ownership;
• A locality map;
• Motivation for the renaming;
• Proposed new name; and
• A signed petition confirming that the majority of residents on the street support the proposed new name.

Once the application is approved, the applicant must erect new signage according to the standards specified by the Johannesburg Road Agency.

A copy of the draft revised policy document detailing the purpose, principles, criteria and procedures can be obtained from people's centres.

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