The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg has rejected claims made by Mayor Dada Morero that the DA is responsible for the renaming of Sandton Drive.
DA Johannesburg caucus leader, councillor Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, emphasised that the renaming was initially proposed by Al Jama-Ah in 2018, who intended to rename the street to City of Ramallah Drive. She also clarified that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) later took up the motion, proposing Leila Khaled Drive as the new name.
Kayser-Echeozonjoku firmly stated, “There is absolutely no truth to this. The renaming was proposed by Al Jama-Ah in 2018, and had it come to fruition, the street would have been renamed to City of Ramallah Drive.
“Mayor Morero would do well to remember that it was his own caucus, in the face of DA warnings against this action and our objection to the motion, that voted alongside the EFF and others in favour of the renaming.”
Kayser-Echeozonjoku further expressed her concerns about the mayor misleading the public.
“The mayor must not mislead the public. Council remains the highest decision-making body in Johannesburg; therefore, the motion that passed in 2018 stands.”
She added that the DA is pleased the city is considering reopening the public participation process and bringing a motion to council to reconsider the renaming.
“We are pleased that the city is considering reopening the public participation process and bring a motion to council to rescind this frivolous renaming,” she said.
However, she cautioned the mayor not to use this process as a stalling tactic: “We do, however, caution the Executive Mayor to not use the reopening of the public participation process as a stalling tactic due to the diplomatic sensitivity around it, but to rather do away with the motion in its entirety.”
On the other hand, the EFF strongly supports the renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive, honouring a Palestinian resistance icon who hijacked an aircraft.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo emphasised that Khaled is a courageous freedom fighter who has spent her life fighting for Palestinian liberation.
“Leila Khaled is not just a symbol of resistance, she is a revolutionary who has, for decades, stood firm against the brutal occupation of Palestine by the apartheid state of Israel,” Tambo said.
The EFF said they oppose the cowardly efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration and the City of Johannesburg to halt the renaming process, particularly because the United States of America's embassy is on this road.
Tambo said, “We reject the notion that renaming a street after Leila Khaled would ‘worsen diplomatic tensions’ with the US, considering that the US has already targeted us due to our support for Palestine and our case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”
He added, “President Donald Trump has already expelled our ambassador to the US and now has proposed a right-wing white supremacist as his choice for ambassador to South Africa.”
Tambo also stressed the importance of South Africa standing in solidarity with oppressed people globally, drawing parallels with the country’s own history of resistance.
“South Africa must refuse to bow to foreign interests that seek to silence the truth and erase the legacy of those who stand against oppression.
“The renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive is not merely symbolic, it is an act of defiance against imperialism and a declaration that South Africa will always side with the oppressed. We call on the City of Johannesburg to proceed with the renaming process without compromise, without apology, and without fear,'' said Tambo.
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