Big shake-up for name changes in South Africa
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has gazetted draft revisions to the South African Geographical Names Council Amendment Bill for public comment.
The department announced that the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) Act would be revised in early 2025 and launched a series of public consultations between February and May that year.
The latest draft of the Bill has been revised to incorporate the inputs, comments, and recommendations received during those provincial consultation processes.
One of the main mandates of the SAGNC is to advise the minister responsible for Sport, Arts and Culture on the transformation and standardisation of South Africa’s naming landscape.
The country has seen over 1,500 name changes processed since the council was established, including major towns and cities, such as the renaming of Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha in 2021, and more recently, the renaming of East London to KuGompo City.
However, whenever these name changes occur, there is often a huge public outcry and allegations of a lack of consultation.
Many claim to have never been aware of any name change processes underway, and that, if any, public hearings are not communicated efficiently.
Opposition parties, in particular, have hit back at the processes, saying that the changes are often pushed through despite opposition, with no way to appeal them.
DSAC has undertaken a comprehensive legislative review to amend the Act, strengthening governance structures, improving administrative processes, and enhancing the council’s overall effectiveness.
Following the public consultation period, the department has expanded and clarified points of concern in the initial (2023) draft Bill.
What is changing
Among many changes, these are the most pertinent:
More consultation
The 2026 bill provides a rigorous definition of “consultation,” specifying it as a mandatory, multi-stakeholder engagement process conducted in good faith.
It outlines specific requirements such as publication in the Government Gazette and local media, and engagement with traditional leaders and research organisations.
More name changes with clearer limits
The 2026 Bill expands the definition of geographical features to include features within the maritime jurisdiction, exclusive economic zones and the extended continental shelf.
The Bill also explicitly excludes features under municipal jurisdiction, private property, and cadastral names (specific land parcels within a government’s land registry system).
Multiple names
The new draft Bill specifically mentions a geographical feature having more than one name, and the “standardised name” is simply the preferred name adopted by the naming authority.
It states explicitly, however, that a single feature may have more than one standardised name. These are absent from the previous 2023 draft.
Beyond this, the draft laws say that provincial committees will also have the power to recommend dual or multilingual forms for names where appropriate.
Deeper public consultation process
The 2023 bill previously stated that the council must publish recommendations in the Government Gazette and conduct public hearings.
The 2026 version established a more detailed process, including a minimum 30-day notice period for written comments, direct engagement with affected parties—including traditional leaders and municipalities—and a requirement to document and respond to all submissions.
Appeals process
The initial Bill established an Appeals Tribunal for name changes, and the updated version expanded on this, adding more specific timelines.
The Minister must consider Council recommendations within 90 days of receipt and publish the decision within 30 days.
The 2026 bill specifies that the three to five independent members of the Appeals Tribunal must have expertise in toponymy, linguistics, law, or cultural heritage.
Previously, the requirement was only that they be “suitably qualified”.
The new draft states that the Tribunal has 90 days to decide an appeal, and that its decisions are explicitly final and binding, subject only to court review.
The new draft Bill can be read below. The public has until 6 April 2026 to make submissions on the Bill.
Written submissions must be directed to one of the following:
- The relevant provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in the province of residence or interest; or
- The Director-General Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Private Bag X897 Pretoria 0001
- Email: [email protected]
All submissions should clearly indicate the name, contact details (including telephone number and email address), and organisational affiliation (if applicable) of the person or entity making the submission.
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