31 January 2007

On 22nd January 2007 Minister Z. Pallo Jordan, the Minister of Arts and Culture, received a letter from the pen of Mr. Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, requesting that the Minister  interact with a panel of Afrikaans academics and historians, chosen by AfriForum, regarding proposed changes to geographical names.

In response to Mr. Kriel proposal the Minister wrote as follows:

Dear Mr. Kriel,                     

Proposal for an AfriForum Panel of Historians and Academics.

I hereby acknowledge, with thanks, your letter dated 22nd January 2007. I note with some concern that you have already disseminated its contents to the media even before you have received my response.

The matters you raise are of great moment to the South African community as a whole and I have, in the past tried to explain my Ministry’s attitude towards them.

Firstly, let me re-state that it is not this Ministry which initiates the changes of the geographical names of any feature of the South African landscape.  The legislation governing the change of geographical names, the South African Geographical Names Council Act, (Act 118 of 1998) is available for inspection on the Department of Arts and Culture website, www.dac.gov.za.

As you will note from the legislation, the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) established in terms of the legislation is the body that receives recommendations from local authorities or groups of concerned citizens to change a geographical name. The SAGNC, after due consideration, then recommends name changes to the Minister, who is free to accept or reject its recommendations.

In the case of the recommended name change of Pretoria, I have sought to consult as widely as possible before making a final decision. The strength of feeling on the matter from all quarters convinces me that caution on the matter was the wisest course.

Secondly, please note that the SAGNC is made up of a number of experts drawn from civil society, including a number of academics. Would it therefore not be proper, if the academics you have approached are in earnest, for them to offer their consultative services to the SAGNC rather than the Minister?

Thirdly, a question arises: Why have these academics, thus far, not offered their services to the SAGNC if it is their view that SAGNC has not availed itself of all the expert opinion that deserved to be heard? The legislation clearly makes provision for such. Opportunities to interact with the SAGNC were available, even after the recommendations were forwarded to my Ministry.

Despite these reservations, I am prepared to meet the academics whom you have recommended, but solely in their capacity as South African citizens, who have a right to approach their government on matters that concern them.

As citizens, the opinions and views of these academics carry no more weight than those of any other concerned citizen. As far as I am concerned the statutorily established body, the SAGNC, is the body whose opinions I am obliged to weigh. It is that body that you and your colleagues should in future approach on these matters.

Lastly, should you not be a little more cautious about allegations that Afrikaans place names have been singled out? I doubt that you have done exhaustive research on the matter and as the Minister responsible I can assure you that inspection of name changes will demonstrate that your allegation is unfounded.

You should contact my Personal Assistant, Mrs. J. Hendrickse, for an appointment on a date suitable to us both.

Yours sincerely,

Z. Pallo Jordan.
Minister.

While the Minister appreciated Mr. Kriel’s desire to handle the issue in a constructive manner, he expressed his dismay that AfriForum and Mr. Kriel did not deem it appropriate to include academics and historians other than Afrikaaners in their panel, suggesting that their concerns are solely sectional and in pursuance of the ethnic and linguistic anxieties of only one portion of the South African population.

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