Zonnebloem soon to be renamed D6
|Published
Residents of Cape Town have come out in support of the call to officially change the name of Zonnebloem back to District Six. Picture: Leon Lestrade/African News Agency (ANA) Archives Residents of Cape Town have come out in support of the call to officially change the name of Zonnebloem back to District Six. Picture: Leon Lestrade/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
District Six is taking back its power little by little.
On Monday minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais, submitted an application to the national government in support of changing Zonnebloem’s name back to District Six.
This after an application by the District Six Museum to the Western Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (WCPGNC) in October last year.
“As we close Heritage Month 2019, Minister Anroux Marais will submit the
supported application to the National Minister of Arts and Culture, Minister Nathi Mthethwa, to officially approve the name change from Zonnebloem to District Six, after which it will be gazetted,” Marais’ spokesperson Stacy McLean said.
In 1968, residents living in District Six were forcibly removed by the then apartheid government after the area was declared a “whites-only” area under the Group Areas Act and over 60 000 people were dumped across the Cape Flats and surrounding areas.
McLean said a public participation process took place with door-to-door surveys and questionnaires in the community and announcements on radio and other forms of mainstream media regarding the renaming of the historical area.
On 17 September, Minister Marais scripted her support in favour of the name change.
The chairman of the District Six Working Committee (D6WC), Shahied Ajam, was ecstatic at the news.
“The D6WC applaud and commend Minister Marais for wholeheartedly endorsing the application.
“We are excited about the official name change which is to happen soon hopefully.
“We’re excited that it runs parallel to the recent name change of Hanover Street. District Six is definitely here to stay,” Ajam said.
On Heritage Day, Keizersgracht Street was renamed to Hanover Street.