While the City of Johannesburg’s proposal to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive has been severely criticised, the metro clarified that the council holds the prerogative to rename streets and public spaces.
“The City of Johannesburg would like to address the recent narrative in the media space suggesting that a decision has been made to rename Sandton Drive. The City wishes to clarify that the naming or renaming of streets and public spaces is the responsibility of the council, and that the City has a defined process on how the process is undertaken,” said the Joburg Municipality.
The public has been given a 28-day deadline until October 15 to send submissions, either rejecting or approving the proposal.
Despite some organisations voicing their disapproval of the proposal, the metro said renaming Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive was fulfilling the idea of establishing diplomatic relations with Palestinians.
Khaled is an infamous Palestinian political figure and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Although hailed for resistance against the oppression of Palestinian people, many regard her a terrorist after being involved in multiple aircraft hijackings.
She led the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 in 1969 among other politically linked hijackings.
The metro further said the motion to rename Sandton Drive was adopted at a caucus meeting five years ago on November 28 to 29 in 2018.
“As many may recall, at a council meeting held on November 28 to 29 in 2018, a motion was adopted to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive, in order to strengthen the signed twinning agreement and memorandum of co-operation with the Palestinian City of Ramallah.
“This move was seen as an expression of the City’s commitment to diplomatic relations with the people of Palestine, building on the strong ties established through the donation of a statue of Nelson Mandela to the City of Ramallah in 2016,” said the Joburg Municipality.
The City reiterated that renaming Sandton Drive adhered to the Naming and Renaming policy, which emphasises the importance of public consultation as an essential element of good governance.
“The City of Johannesburg remains committed to transparency, accountability, and community engagement in all decision-making processes.”
It further implored the public to send in responses before the deadline to ensure their voices are heard and valued.
Furthermore, another organisation rejected the metro’s proposal.
In line with ActionSA’s concerns, the United Independent Movement (UIM) said millions of state funds are going to be squandered by changing street names instead of prioritising service delivery for locals.
“Surely the millions that are going to be wasted on such ridiculousness could be spent for the benefit of the people, who should be prioritised above all else. The UIM unequivocally rejects this proposal. We urge the public to reject the proposal,” said the UIM.
The public can send their submissions to [email protected] before the deadline.
The Star