Key players in the Joburg multiparty coalition are not seeing eye-to-eye on a proposal to rename one of the municipality’s popular roads.
ActionSA is opposing the renaming of Sandton Drive, claiming that the name serves as a unifying symbol for the community.
The ANC and EFF have proposed that Sandton Drive be renamed in honour of Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine resistance movement.
While emphasising that the issue was neither urgent nor necessary, ActionSA’s Gauteng chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, stated that the party is prepared to contest the proposal when it comes before the council.
Ngobeni emphasised that the name is appropriate for Johannesburg, describing the city’s society as diverse and international.
Although the party is not against renaming public landmarks to honour the history of the city, he feels that more pressing problems need to be addressed right away.
According to Ngobeni, renaming a place to reflect its heritage also honours those who contributed significantly to South Africa’s history and fortified the nation’s identity as a whole.
Service delivery failures
“The City of Johannesburg is faced with many challenges in service delivery failures —crushing water shortages, rampant unemployment, severe housing shortages, crumbling infrastructure, and rising crime rates,” he said.
“Therefore, diverting our attention and very scarce resources to changing a street name that is not even offensive to anyone will be a demonstration of a tone-deaf administration.”
He pointed out that City Power has reported that 81 000 streetlights under the Johannesburg metropolitan municipality are non-operational.
A critical need for prioritisation to ensure the safety and well-being of affected residents is highlighted by the fact that at least 1, 000 potholes are reported weekly, and only 4, 500 of these are repaired on a monthly basis.
“As ActionSA, we will leave no stone unturned to lobby all political parties in the City of Johannesburg to vote against this proposal as we believe it offers no benefits whatsoever to the residents of our great city,” said Ngobeni.
He maintains that rather than partaking in what they view as symbolic politics, ActionSA’s position demonstrates its dedication to tackling urgent issues that affect Johannesburg residents’ everyday lives.
